
Class. 
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TO WHICH ARE APPENDED 



TWO POETICAL SCRAPS 



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DOGMAS OF INFIDELITY 



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BY F. W. ADAMS. M. D. 

— 



MONTPELIER: 

PUBLISHED BY J. E. THOMPSON. 
1843. 



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ERRATA. 

for if ignorant, read of ignorance. 
for Pity, read Piety, 
for Nature, read Matter, 
for the propensities, read propen- 
sities, 
for of, read or. 
for Manatau, read Manatou. 
for severitees, read severities, 
for further, read any further, 
for cowardice, read moral coward- 

ice. 
for threat, read threats, 
for infringe, read impinge, 
for Emphyrean, read Empyrean, 
for general, read generous. 






TO THE READER. 

Having been particularly known among my familiar 
acquaintances, and, reputedly, by the public within 
my vicinity, as an avowed dissenter from the literality 
and supernaturalism of the Scriptures, in which there 
seemed enough of singularity, to induce a curious in- 
dividual to solicit, from time to time, during several 
years, a publication of my anti-theolgical opinions, to 
which however, circumstances forbade assent; until, 
at length, I was importuned by letter, at two several 
times, from a reveren^d disciple of Universalism, to 
make the curious disclosure: And hence concluded to 
comply, and, therefore, set about expending, occa- 
sionally, a leisure hour, in noting some few reflect- 
ions upon the subjects of inquiry. This I was the 
more willing to undertake, from the clearest convict- 
ion, that Theology unconnected with Morality, was a 
phantom which had seduced or frightened the world 
into its most terrible and exterminating evils. Aud 
that even Christianity, in which Morality, as it seems 
to have been particularly intended, strikingly pre- 
dominates over Theology, has been the subject and 
occasion of the most cruel and murderous dissention: 



A consequence, it would be blasphemous to charge 
upon Truth or Reason. And having, from my child- 
hood, detested the moral cowardice, so well exempli- 
fied in its character and consequences, by the fictitious 
Jonah, on the one hand; and, on the other, equally 
idolized the moral courage of the Hebrew Daniel, 
in whom this attribute is made so godly and moment- 
ous, as that miracles were reputedly performed to 
save the subject of so magnanimous a souL 

Hence, I resolved upon the hazard of a publica- 
tion, in the form of a letter, or rather a series of let- 
ters, tothe reverend solicitor; and which had made con- 
siderable progress toward its conclusion, when I was 
interrogated on behalf of some dozens of my friends, 
whether I would address them in a course of public 
lectures, upon the questions I had essayed to discuss 
in the letter series. 

No other objector appearing, than that ignominious 
huzzy, who seduced Jonah to take lodgings in the 
stomach of a whale; and she being annihilated by a 
single scowl, the recollection of Daniel developed, 
my consent was given; and the letters adopted as the 
basis of the following essays, into which they were 
very conveniently transformed. And being ' subse- 
quently solicited for the manuscript for publication, 
this little volume has come out to testify to my cour- 
tesy, sincerity and moral courage. 

These lectures, though originating in specific inqui- 
ries, and therefore appearing to claim the character 
of specific answers, were nevertheless written, under 
the assumption of a general license, and are, there- 



PREFACE. 



fore, designedly, rather el i citations to theological in- 
quiry than solutions of numerous and reputedly mys- 
terious problems. I would that every individual 
should not only have opinions upon all subjects of hu- 
man interest, but that they should be sanctioned by 
Reason and justified by truth. And however harshly 
custom and expediency may growl at such opinions, 
as innovations upon hereditary rights, Experience, 
Eosterity and Nature will ultimately and cheerfully 
accord their approbation ! 

One consideration, however, more than any other, 
which has embarrassed both the oral and typographi- 
cal announcement of my peculiar dogmas, is that 
most plausible of all stupefactivesto the genius of inno- 
vation, viz., that the present state of opinions and 
practices should not be unsettled upon any other prin- 
principle, than that of the offer of a more valuable 
substitute. 

Justice and generosity, both, emphatically demand 
a strict observance of this rule, whenever it falls with- 
in the power of the agent: And yet there are so 
many exceptions, as to embarrass, essentially, the au- 
thority of the rule; especially where one hypothesis 
is to be contested by another; and where Facts refrain, 
as much as possible, from giving evidence. 

This embarrassment is at length overcome by the 
settled conviction, that Theology is not only a fiction, 
but that were it otherwise, it would be a dark and 
profitless subject for human contemplation;beiongingas 
it does exclusively to God and his spiritual providence; 
andoue that He would scarcely thank his creatures, for 



VI PREFACE. 

assisting Him to manage, Beside, it seems most 
irrefragible, that Morality, the very Genius, Christ, 
or Savior, of Society, has been slandered, disparaged 
and trodden upon by this cloven-footed, leaden-head- 
ed progeny of Barbarism, until the very heart of 
Reason should burst with indignation. But so long- 
as Ethics shall remain subordinate to a decrepid, fic- 
titious Spiritualism, it will continue to be starved and 
scourged into a degraded dwarfishness and imbecility, 
wherein it vainly attempts to repel the indignities its 
effeminacy has elicited. Yes, whilst Ethics, which, 
with proper nourishment and care, is competent to 
rear the standard of literal salvation is destructively 
neglected, Theology is petted, for its fallacious promi- 
ses of a future fiction. 

Now, if Theology is a fiction, it is, at least, a waste 
of thought to contemplate it, and its influence must, 
after all the expense of its support, be nugatory or 
mischievous; hence the demand for a substitute needs 
not to be recognized. To reflect upon any thing that 
is, must be preferable to reflecting upon nothing at all. 
But, if it is not a fiction, it has both God and Nature 
to support it, and hence defies subversion. 

Thus, is the Reader, not quite unceremoniously, 
introduced to our legitimate, dogmatical and hypo- 
thetical progeny, from which, as he cannot fail to ob- 
serve, a foot, at least, has been amputated, for the 
convenience of the Printer; and perhaps not less to 
the satisfaction of the Reader; since, whatever lessejis 
a deformity, proportionally improves it. 

THE AUTHOR. 



j 



\ 



DO&UIAS OF UVFIBEMTY. 

Nature is an uncreated, indivisible and unlimited 
system of matter and functionality; whose eternity is 
no more difficult to admit, than that of an antece- 
dent creator : Nor is humanity competent to acquire 
an earlier idea of things, than that which is expressed 
by the term, formation ! Thus, when it is said that 
a thing is made, nothing more can be understood, than 
that a portion of preexisting material has assumed a 
new arrangement of its parts, or atoms, denominated, 
accurately, a new formation, but much more frequent- 
ly, miscalled a new creation ! 

The idea of God is identical with that of ultimate 
causality, of which no other knowledge can be obtain- 
ed, than that of its logical necessity, as a termination 
of all philosophic inquiry; and appears to be insus- 
ceptible of any better definition, than that it is another 
name for ignorance: For God is never referred to, 
whilst any apprehensible, specific cause remains avail- 
able. And were there a God, detached from matter, 
with the attribute we call intelligence, in an infinite 
degree, the continuance of his being, beyond the pe- 



VI H DOGMAS OF 

riod of a single thought, would be entirely nugatory. 
vSuppose a God, such as it maybe thought Christian- 
ity hath assumed, and Plato's brain engendered of ul- 
timate causality personified; and, subsequently, en- 
dowed with that trinity of attributes, called wisdom, 
power and goodness, so indispensable to such a char- 
acter! Can there be a doubt, that wisdom, such as 
God's, and called of men omnisciency, would scan suc- 
cessfully, the laws and their relationship, by which a 
world's phenomena were intended to be governed; 
or that a single thought would settle their arrange- 
ment? And who believes, that more than one determi- 
nation of omnipotence, would be required to put those 
laws in operation? — Is God immutable? — He, there- 
fore, would not modify his own decrees! — Is he omnip- 
otent? — No other power could do it! — And hence, the 
supervisionship of such a God, would be as nugato- 
ry, as the idea of his being is fallacious! 

Were it not an undefinable causality, of which man- 
kind has wrought its deity; that dogma, without the 
aid of superhuman revelation, could uever have be- 
come so universal as it has been; and doubtless would 
not have been acquired at all !— Hence, the universal- 
ity of the idea of God is applicable only to such a 
principle; and not at all to that discrepancy of attri- 
butes, with which a diverse human fancy has endowed 
its personification. 

Notwithstanding the existence of matter, like that 
of God, has readily obtained universal belief, it is, 
nevertheless, a problem, whose truth can never be de- 
monstrated. It is, naturallv, deducible from the ideas 



tNFIDET.TTY. IX 

it is supposed to develope, and the properties of which 
it is supposed to be the predicate, and yet its intrinsi- 
cality must, forever, elude investigation. 

Matter may be supposed to possess an ultimate be- 
ing and functionality; a state it may successively re- 
sume, in imitation of its original, at the termination 
of each complete revolution of its metamorphosis^ 
and below which, it is incapable of reduction, or sim- 
plification. 

Life is a supposed principle, to whose agency or- 
ganic phenomena have been exclusively referred; and 
which may be contemplated in the triple character of 
ultimate, structural and functional. 

Ultimate, or primitive life, may be defined, to be that 
connate, or coeternal, attribute of matter, upon which 
modification, or transformation, originally depends; 
and without which, as without ultimate causality, no 
phenomenon could ever occur. Structural life is that 
modification of ultimate life, upon which the arrange- 
ment of appropriate material, into specific organiza- 
tion, depends; from the mushroom to the mimosa, in 
vegetation, and from the sponge and polypus to man, 
in animation; in all of which, it may be rationally pre^ 
sumed, the parenchyma* is, organically, the same. 
Functional life is that which results from, and is char- 
acterized by, organization, upon which the two pre- 
ceding kinds of life have been already emplo)^ed; and 



* By parenchyma is meant the common organized 
material of which particular organs are constructed, 

1 



X DOGMAS OF 

is either constituent, as in particular organs, or aggre- 
gate, as in the whole animal; which latter state is de- 
nominated animal life, whereon are established the pe- 
culiar relations that exist, between sentient beings, 
and the objects of sensation. 

Every phenomenon of the living animal is a modi- 
fication of the state of organism, of which the phe- 
nomenon is a function; whether it be structural or an- 
imal — physical or psychological. 

Whilst the action of a muscle developes the phe- 
nomenon of motion, that of the brain constitutes con- 
sciousness: And the inactivity of the one is denomi- 
nated rest — of the other sleep. Psychology, therefore, 
consists of organic phenomena; and should never 
have been displaced, from its legitimate position, at 
the head of physical philosophy. 

Metaphysics is no otherwise associated with, nor 
less dependent upon, anatomy and physiology, than 
mechanics, with, or upon, mechanism. And these, as 
well as all other sciences, are but deductions from 
facts, contemplated in their several legitimate rela- 
tions. 

Man consists, firstly, of a parenchyma, which is the 
common basis of all organism, to which are superadd- 
ed, and of the same material, differently arranged, all 
those peculiar apparatuses, which constitute him, in 
the aggregate, a living, moving, sentient, conscious, 
enduring, and reproductive machine: — For, machine 
he is, notwithstanding his obstinate and egotistic ad- 
herence to the fallacious dogma, of freed om-of-the- 
will, upon which psychological phantom, M. Cousin, 



INFIDELITY. A1 

the present supervisor of the classical literature of 
France, together with a host of infatuated disciples, 
has exhausted every hypothetical and sophistical re- 
source. Nor will posterity deem it an abuse of his 
arguments that we denominate them mere blarney. 

Nature is a system of adaptations, denominated 
cause and effect, within which, men and mushroons 
are equally included; and of equal importance, in its 
mysterious and interminable revolutions: Nor is man, 
with all his wild conceit of voluntary independence, 
one whit less subject to the dominion of physical and 
natural laws, than though he were a mass of unmodi- 
fied material. Curious, that Nature should have 
formed an animal to take precedence-of herself ! 

Organization is a structural arrangement of elabo- 
rated material, derived from the common stock of el- 
ements, and subsequently transmuted, by the agency" 
of organic life, into the specific constituents of the 
specimen referred to — each intermediate order, be- 
tween the two extremes of the graduated scale, being 
nourished by an inferior, and, in turn, yielding itself 
as the nourishment of a superior, and so on to the 
end of the chapter; presenting, thus, a series of re- 
volving adaptive transmutation. — A circle, in which 
man and common matter ultimately meet; and which 
has been, theologically, misinterpreted, and errone- 
ously propagated as infinite design. 

Man, from the time of Socrates., has been contem- 
plated, as consisting of body and soul — or of a mate- 
rial, physical organism, to which an immaterial, unor- 
ganized and immortal spirit is somehow., and at some 
period, superadded. 



Xli DOGMAS OF 

This dogma, of an immortal spirit, which Socrates 
had presented to the world, in a state of nudity, was 
zealously adopted, by the spiritual enthusiast, Plato, 
who, laboriously and ingeniously clothed up the falla- 
cy, with all the fascinations of an invaluable truth; 
which, being thus presented to man's strongest pro- 
pensity, his love of lite, could, scarcely, have failed of 
a ready and unanimous acceptance. But unanimity 
of belief can never deserve credit, as evidence of sci- 
entific, or philosophic truth, since the mass, even of 
the intelligent portion of mankind, has been found, 
contentedly, groping, in the unprogressive routine of 
traditionary prejudice, and hereditary obstinacy, a half 
century, at least, behind the foot-prints of the Genius 
of social amelioration: Nor has it, ever, acquired a 
knowledge of those principles of science, to the truth 
of which, it has, finally, given a tardy assent. Man- 
kind are, constantly, witnessing the phenomena, and 
participating the benefits, of science, of whose princi- 
ples, they are as ignorant, as of the statistics of the 
moons and yet, their vanity vociferates — "How wise 
our generation!" — Nor, meanwhile, think how in- 
significant have been their, or their father's, contribu- 
tions to that stock of wisdom; nor how small a part 
they, individually, share ! 

Man consists of structural organism, and consequent 
functionality, of which brain and consciousness are 
important particulars: Nor is the latter, which is sy- 
nonymous with soul, one whit more spiritual, than the 
elasticity of steel. He is, indeed, what reputed in- 
spiration, a long time since, interpreted him — "a liy- 



INFIDELITY. XI 11 

ingsoul" — Or in other words, a thinkingcroature. It 
is written, Gen. 2. 7. "And the Lord God formed man 
of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nos- 
trils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." 
And who can have been so stupid, as to have inno- 
cently interpreted this text of sciripture, to mean 
that the soul of man is not a function of his organism, 
or that it was superadded, subsequently to such for- 
mation, while the text expressly declares the man to be 
the living soul ? 

Whilst reflection cannot miss a thousand evidences, 
that the soul is functional, exclusively; no counter 
one has been adduced, which might not be as well ap- 
plied affirmatively. 

Whilst Truth will never fail to repay the labor of 
investigation; Error, like a hibernating reptile, will 
sting the hand that warms it into vigor! Theology 
is a human fantasy, which possesses neither a type in 
Nature, nor affinity with Reason! 

Natural Theology is an unnatural dogma, with 
which, affectation of piety has, abortively, attempted 
to relieve the accumulating embarrassments of a fic- 
titious revelation ! 

Notwithstanding Christianity, as delineated in the 
Gospel, is, undeniably, a most successful compilation 
of the highest and purest metaphysical, moral and re- 
ligious dogmas, of which the world was in possession 
at its date; it is, nevertheless, pregnant with failaci-es 
too numerous and palpable, to escape the notice of an 
unprejudiced, modern school-boy! 

The Gospel, which is, now, almost universal iy 3 be-* 



XIV 



DOGMAS OF 



lieved to have been supernaturally communicated to 
mankind, through the incomprehensible medium of 
the fictitious Son of God, is cognizable, only, as a 
judicious and convenient compendium of the an- 
cient Eclectic Philosophy, of which Philo, the Essen 
Jew, was an eminent disciple, and promulgator; and 
who, it may be well enough supposed, in his abundant 
affection for his national kindred, wrote out a copy, in 
his own peculiar style, and in the Jewish, allegorical 
manner, in the laudable hope, that it would be adopt- 
ed, by his ignorant and superstitious brethren, as an 
invaluable substitute for the fallacies and bigotries of 
Judaism. 

Christianity is compounded of Theology and Ethics; 
wherein the fautasms of the former, are sustained by 
the realities of the latter. 

Whilst Ethics forms the most eminent department 
of Natural knowledge, nor needs an adjunct to sustain 
itself; Theology would, long since, have arrived at 
a state of insupportable decrepitude, had it been de- 
prived of Ethics to lean upon ! 

Theology, in consonance with its own fictitious- 
ness, has instituted a censorship of Faith, instead of 
Fact, which denominates all else, mere scoria of the 
truth, save what has passed, unscathed, the crucible 
of its fanaticism: It has. grimly, scowled at nat- 
ural science, as an unholy obtruder upon its sanctimo- 
ny, and a subverter of its superhuman truths; and 
has never failed to persecute the man, while living, 
nor to heap up obloquy upon hisname, when dead, who 
has ever ventured to propagate a truth, that threaten- 
ed a collision with the fallacies of its creed. 



TNFIDEL1TY. XV 

The whole superstructure of modern Theology is 
erected upon a Socratic or Platonic fiction of the hu- 
man soul, which, both, fact and reason emphatically 
repudiate. And, if there were, both, God and soul, 
they would be inexplicable to humanity, and also 
themselves subjected to Zeno's Fate, or that Necessi- 
ty, imposed by the laws of their nature. 

Whilst the falsehood has been vociferously reitera- 
ted, throughout the wide domain of Christendom, that 
natural science owes to Christianity, its success; a 
counter truth is stamped on every page of civil histo- 
ry: And, if doubt remains upon this plain question, you 
are directed to enquire of the ghosts of Roger Bacon, 
Nicholas Copernicus and Galileo Galilei ! 



LECTURE I. 

THE PRIMITIVE CHARACTER OP MAN, 

Friends of Free Enquiry : — 

It is not from the instigation of a love of notoriety, 
nor for the unenviable privilege of suffering persecu- 
tion for a frank avowal of my peculiar heterodoxy, 
that I stand here this evening, as a traitor to my own 
popularity, as though I were insanely soliciting the 
honor of martyrdom; but in a self-distrustful obedi- 
ence to your joint solicitation for a public disclosure 
of my personal views of some particular questions, 
in whose satisfactory solution, the world possesses a 
deeper interest than even the querulous obstinacy, 
with which they haye been contested, indicates: And 
my first wish is, that you were in possession of a rea- 
sonable assurance, that your hope of edification is not 
altogether futile. 

The peculiar character of the present enterprise 

seems to demand that this introductory lecture should 

consist mostly of its own preface, declarative of the 

sentiments by which we are actuated, and the objects 

2 



18 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

to be attained: And while I express the following per- 
sonal views, I may hope that the heart of every audi- 
tor will beat an unequivocal response. 

Man is allowed to have been born with certain inal- 
ienable rights and privileges, to which Nature has 
given him an irrevocable title: Nor is she, whatever 
its seeming, justly chargeable with partiality in the 
distribution of her favors. 

If the philosopher is delighted with the success of 
his investigations; he is also annoyed with contempla- 
ting the narrowness by which they are limited: And 
whilst he regrets the insignificancy of his best acquire- 
ments, " the fool is happy, that he knows no more." 
Thus is the impartiality of Nature established, in re- 
spect of intellectual happiness. All rational political, 
philosophy concurs in admitting that all social privi- 
leges should be reciprocal — or that no individual shall 
claim a right to do, for and of himself, an act, from 
which any other individual, under similar circumstan- 
ces, is prohibited. 

Earth, air and water, with all their convertible pro- 
ducts, are the common property of their human in- 
heritors — and Wisdom emphatically declares, that 
such a distribution and use, should be made of them, 
as to insure the greatest amount of innocent enjoy- 
ment. And yet they are mostly monopolized, by a 
very small proportion of our species; nor would the 
air itself be excluded from the list, were it subject to 
the arbitrary regulation of meets and bounds: And 
the poor might gasp, or bend in servitude to its owner, 
for the material of vital respiration? 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS* 19 

Air is, however, most fortunately free; nor is opin- 
ion, however unfortunately, less so. 

To coerce opinion has, nevertheless, been arbitra- 
rily, mischievously and abortively attempted by every 
generation that History has recognized: And millions 
have fought and bled and died in a contest, of which 
children should have been ashamed. 

Opinion being the inalienable property of every in- 
dividual, the acquisition of which can never be dis- 
honest, nor its possession dishonorable, should never 
be assailed, but by the kindest expressions that suc- 
cessful invalidation will justify; nor attempted to be 
subverted, but with the commendable expectation of 
substituting a better. 

Reason is the grand distinguishing characteristic of 
humanity; and is therefore appropriately subservient 
to its highest purposes: And the higher, and more ab- 
stract from mere propensity our objects are, the more 
is reason required in their examination: Whatever is 
above reason is above humanity; and whatever its in- 
fluence upon the species, it can never become an ob- 
ject of consciousness. Nor is there a plausible prop- 
osition that suffers more from analysis, than a very 
popular one among the clergy; viz. ''that revelation 
begins where reason ends; and yet, that reason clearly 
sees the need of such a revelation. 53 

That the need of a circumstance should be clearly 
apprehended whilst its character is entirely unknown, 
is a proposition that cannot bear the slightest scru- 
tiny. As well might the hungry be said to see the 
need of bread, before it was known to be nutritious; 



&0 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

Bat the world is fall of this kind of sophistry, where- 
in sound is offered and accepted as a substitute for 
sense. Wherein unembelished Truth surrenders its 
rightful dominion to furbished and artful fallacy. Nor 
are men aware how easily they are deceived by high- 
sounding, though unmeaning sentences ; nor how 
much nor often, familiar terms are perverted from 
their original and genuine interpretation, in order to 
subserve the purposes of a sect. 

However differently the case may stand with others^ 
it is clearly my own conviction, that Reason unequiv- 
ocally discharges me from all responsibility, for either 
the possession or propagation of opinion. For if any 
individual has a right to express an opinion, whose 
accuracy is not already acknowledged by the public, 
that right belongs, equally, to the rest of the popula- 
tion. And if such a right were not acknowledged, 
and its practical consequences permitted, where, allow 
me to ask, would be found the history of human im- 
provement? 

When was the public ever known to suggest an im- 
provement? or, an occasional genius having made an 
ameliorating suggestion, when was the public ever 
known, promptly, to afford it a practical illustration? 
Have not the originators of important improvements 
of the various interests of their species, slept, long 
and soundly, with their fathers, before their stupid 
successors have been able to appreciate the value of 
their suggestions? Alas! this public, that arrogates 
to itself the attributes of a god, marches, nevertheless, 
in the rearward shadow of that adveDturous, invent- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS, &1 

i've Genius, to whom the world is irredeemably in- 
debted — and whose statue, if ever wrought, is erected 
npon a pyramid of antecedent reproaches. 

Reason, however fallacious, is the only guardian of 
human actions; nor should propensity, in any case., 
digress its most fastidious prescriptions. Yet, how 
differently has been the case with all successive gene- 
rations — or history belies their character! 

Man has been effectually shown up, as the creature 
of propensity, too indomitably obstinate for exhorta- 
tion, or even experience, to improve. And still he 
rails, each against his neighbor, for the slightest scent 
oi inconsistency, that the sensitive and obtrusive nose 
of suspicion is able to smell out, even, amongst the 
privacies of domestic life. Whilst he enviously and 
maliciously assails his neighbor's happiness, he igno- 
rantly, though deservedly thwarts his own. His life 
is a succession of fears and disasters, that Reason, 
were her admonitions heeded, would enable him to 
evade: But, to her utter discouragement, man has su- 
perstitiously adopted a set of fictitious mysticisms, 
under the cognomen of Theology, by which she is 
nearly superceded in her highest vocation with hu- 
manity. 

Start not at a mere declaration, which is of no mo- 
ment whatever, unless supported by satisfactory ar- 
gument; and which, when thus supported, must right- 
fully supercede its antagonist: For Truth, however 
threatening in the distance, is always peaceful in pos- 
session! 

For myself, I am not ashamed to own, that I am a 



22 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

devout disciple of Reason; and an anxious, however 
successless, inquirer after truth, whose homeliest 
physiognomy, however often and grossly misappre- 
hended, is really more beautiful than error, with all 
its paint and furbishing. 

Opinions being always honestly acquired, their con- 
sequences, however disastrous, are chargeable only as 
misfortunes, not as crimes. 

Opinions, it is true, should be always right, since 
erroneous ones possess, more or less, untoward ten- 
dencies, from which Ignorance has taken occasion to 
excuse the exercise of its malevolence, wherein noth- 
ing but the kindest sympathy is justifiable. 

The most unfortunate individual is he, whose hap- 
piness is most marred by the inaccuracy of his opin- 
ions; and he the most fortunate, the accuracy of 
whose opinions, most successfully, provides for his 
welfare. 

A common error with mankind, is the too precipi- 
tate formation of opinion, whereby his best exertions 
work out his worst discomfiture. As with the travel- 
er who misses his road, and is therefore the farther 
from his way, the longer and more expeditiously he 
travels. Hence opinion, should be deliberately and 
carefully formed, and as far as possible, founded in a 
clear apprehension of all the truths concerned in its 
institution. Thus, Truth becomes the primary and 
paramount object of human inquiry; and should nei- 
ther be mistaken nor contemned, by arbitrary, obsti- 
nate prejudice, scarcely less blind to truth than to 
itself. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 23 

Whatever is seriously proposed as truth, should be 
patiently and carefully examined before it is rejected. 
Who would not declare it preposterous for a chemist 
to throw away, unexamined, a specimen of precious 
ore, because he is not already acquainted with its 
character? And opinions, with all their dependen- 
cies, deserve no less to be analyzed, than unexamined 
specimens of mineralogy. But superstitious preju- 
dice, would crucify Innovation, though it were com- 
missioned only to take from it the instruments of in- 
voluntary suicide. 

Heterodoxy and Infidelity are terms scarcely less 
familiar than the names of our household goods. And 
yet, they ought never to have commanded the respect 
of an interpretation. They are epithets, that Igno- 
rance, long ago, maliciously appended to imaginary 
offenses, against imaginary authority. 

In the purest theological sense, the Grecian Socra- 
tes, the probable prototype of the reputed author of 
Christianity, was a heretic, in opposing, by the most 
conclusive arguments, the settled superstitions of his 
time and country. And if it were well, that he wag 
sacrificed to the eyeless, conceited and obstinate ge- 
nius of stability, whilst attempting to eradicate a mis- 
chievous and senseless mythology; then it was justi- 
fiable to crucify the reputed Son of God for attempting 
a similar innovation. Nor should a reproach rest 
upon the consistent obstinacy of the descendants of 
Abraham, though they had really murdered the Savior 
of the world. For it matters not, by whom good or 
evil is perpetrated^ whether by demigod or diabolist, 



24 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

The visionary Plato, whose theological cogitations* 
with very little revision, have been adopted by mora 
than eighty generations, as the genuine oracles of Al- 
mighty God, was also a heretic: And, as a disturbed 
of the public peace — an innovator upon established 
opinion, should have been early treated to a bowl of 
the lethean beverage, which had already made his tu- 
tor, Socrates, sleep so soundly, beneath a nation's au- 
dible regret, for so mischievious and diabolical a 
homicide. 

Copernicus too, who brought forth from a chaos of 
fallacies, an astronomical system, apparently too deep 
for human cogitation; whereon he stood so far above 
cotemporary humanity, that he must have seemed, at 
that dark day, somewhat like an unearthly spirit, sent 
down to put these vagrant worlds in order, was, for 
this, condemned and excommunicated by the Romish 
Church, as a heretic and vilifier of the word of God, 
Nor did that Church acquire snfficient shame of its 
former godliness, to annul its worse than Irish bull 
against the philosopher, until 1821, or little less than 
three hundred years. A very short time, indeed, for 
Bigotry to relent, or Superstition to be enlightened. 
Or, to utter a very plain truth, this almost superhu- 
man philosopher, to whom the world is more deeply 
indebted than any acknowledgment can reach, was 
persecuted and finally outlawed, by a church, that ar- 
rogated to itself both the wisdom and justice of God, 
for propagating opinions, which are, at present, so 
well and generally understood to be true, that an im- 
pugner of them, would be a butt for childish ridicule. 



T8K0LOaiC.lL CRITICISM!. If 

Did Galileo persist in scrutinizing Nature, until she 
deigned to repay his importunity with disclosures, sba 
bad hitherto denied to the most devoted of her admi- 
rers? .Was not this incontinence to God, the Church 
and Stability, a deeper heresy than common men 
•ouid perpetrate? So thought the Church, and there- 
fore ordered its inquisitors to torture out the culprit's 
recantation, or his life! Did his firmness fail him, in 
this desperate contest between his principles and his 
fears? And did he yield, in base hypocrisy, to ths 
elamor of the last, and humbly bend before the sym- 
bol of a fiction, and forswear himself upon the repu- 
ted oracles of God? And did shame for his duplicity 3 
and compunction for what he deemed the basest sacri- 
lege, goad up his manhood to a contradiction of his 
oath, at the hazard of interminable imprisonment, to 
which he was immediately sentenced? 

And was it right that such men's and indeed any 
men's opinions, that happened to be inappreciable by 
the stupidity of the time, should subject them to 
death, unlimited imprisonment or excommunication, 
another name for outlawry, by which life was left at 
the disposal of any bigoted, ferocious villain, who 
should choose to take it? Then Paul and Stephen 
met justice in their deaths, and all were bound to 
sanction it with a hearty amen. Nor should a Zuin- 
jlius, a Luther, a Calvin, a Knox, with interminable 
and so forths, have escaped the hand of the execu- 
tioner. And yet they lived to see the Romish Harlot 
shorn of many of her most seductive fascinations, 
and discarded by numerous, enthusiastic admirers: 

S 



gg THBOLOGICAL CRITICISMSc 

And finally, to bequeath their names to Protestant 
Christendom, as objects of a superstitious and shame. 

ful idolatry. 

Thus much for the irresponsibility of opinion, and 
the universal, reciprocal right, and .incalculable utilitj 
of its promulgation. 

The following remarks will be more particularly 
appropriated to the questions oft he origin, and primi- 
tive character, of man. 

There are, of the present generation of men, nu- 
merous, sincere worshipers of antiquity, and still 
more, pious venerators of the fallacies of the oldea 
cime; for whom I feel much more respect than for 
the stupid fancies by which they are distinguished. 

Numerous hypotheses have been instituted in expli- 
cation of the origin of mankind, which have been 
mostly stamped, not only, with a characteristic falli- 
bility, but with the most palpable and disgraceful fa- 
tuity. 

That man originally vegetated, or sprang up spon- 
taneously from the soil, deriving nourishment from 
the earth, by means of fibrous appendages ot his toes 
and fingers, until his progressive organism enabled 
him to extricate himself from his maternal attach- 
ments, and henceforth to commence a life of inde- 
pendent, voluntary exertion, is a theory scarcely plau- 
sible enough to secure its immediate and general 
adoption. Nor is it much more plausible, that our 
primitive ancestor was a chattering baboon, whom 
progressive cultivation succeeded, at length, in trans- 
forming to a human being. And, were it true, it 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 27 

would nevertheless fail to afford a satisfactory solu- 
tion of our problem. The same difficulty would rest 
with the question, whence came the baboon * 

And when we contemplate the Mosaic account of 
the same phenomenon, in the light of modern philoso- 
phy, it seems but little better than an unnatural aggre- 
gation of uncomely protuberances, whose deformity 
should not escape the superficial scrutiny of child- 
hood. And however thankless, it may not be alto- 
gether unprofitable, to spend a few criticisms upon 
this very popular hypothesis. 

The reader of the Mosaic account finds, that " in 
the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." 
Although this is a reputed specimen of divine revela- 
tion, it would seem, that no extraordinary, human in- 
genuity were required for the attainment of so sim- 
ple a reflection. Fatuity itself would scarcely have 
overlooked the necessity of the earth's existence, an- 
tecedently to that of its products. This text might 
therefore escape a formal criticism, but for its illegiti- 
mate connexions, and a question it involves about 
which the world has already expended a great deal of 
uncandid altercation, viz., whether God created the 
material of the world, or that he merely formed it out 
of a material already existing? There would seem 
to be nothing further required for the satisfactory dis- 
posal of this question, than that the inquirer should 
make an effort to attain the idea of something having 
been made out of nothing; and that he shall cease hi* 
importunity until he shall have succeeded in tho at- 
tempt. 



tl TBEOLtMHCiX CftlTlCISlf*. 

The connections referred to, demand a more serious 
examination. Revelation declares, that " the eartb 
was without form and void." And wherefore should 
God have thus created it? Is it a plausible suggestion* 
that God should have created a formless world, in or- 
der to display his ingenuity in remodeling it? Thins 
would hardly ba admitted as a specimen of ordinary,, 
human wisdom. Is it not then a better interpretation* 
of the text, that God formed, out of the materials al- 
ready existing in a chaotic state, the system of things 
as it at present exists? It certainly appears thus to 
me. 

Again. "And darkness was upon the face of th« 
deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of 
the waters." This being relieved of its tautology 
would read thus. And darkness was upon the face of 
the deep; and the spirit of God moved thereon: For 
doubtless, in this text, deep and waters are synony- 
mous terms. The purpose, for which the spirit of 
God moved upon the face of the waters, seems not to 
have been considered important, or not well under- 
stood, by the revelator, else he would, most likely, 
have noticed it. The expression may possibly con- 
tain more poetry than truth; which however is quit* 
unessential. 

There appears to be no little difficulty in appre- 
hending what waters were referred to in the text un- 
der consideration, since the elements are represented 
to have been in a state of chaos, or confusion, until 
the second day, when " God said let there be a firma- 
ment, in the raids* of the waters, and let it divid* tb* 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISM*. 19 

waters from the waters," which was according]* 
done; "and the waters which were under the firma- 
ment were divided from those which were above tha 
firmament." "And God called the firmament Heaven,™ 

It may be well, here, to examine the facts referred 
to in the foregoing quotation. And firstly of the fir- 
mament, which divided the upper and nether watert, 
and must, therefore have been a material partition 
get up in the atmosphere, at a specific distance frons 
the surface of the earth. 

Ask of the children in the street, who have been a 
dozen years under a kind and intelligent guardianship, 
what they understand of the firmament, or sky, 
and they will doubtless answer, that it is an imaginary 
concavity, whose radius, or semi-diameter, is measured 
by the extent of individual vision; and that it is, there- 
fore, nothing but a mere distance in space, and that 
too as different as is the capacity of different eye*. 
Now if God made the firmament, such as we under- 
stand it to be, he was certainly, for once, most un- 
profitably employed; that is, in making nothing. 

Again, it may be asked, what waters were above this 
ideal firmament; and for what purpose were they re- 
served? These same children would unhesitatingly 
answer you, that there is no humidity of the atmos- 
phere, at any hight, but what is derived from the wa- 
ters of the earth by the process of evaporation; and 
hence that the firmament, were it ever so real and 
substantial, could not have been designed for the pur- 
pose, the revelator has imputed to it; so that whatever 
other knowledge Inspiration bad afforded him 8 it htd 



99 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

left him totally ignorant of the subjects of his revela- 
tion. 

We find that on the third day of creation, " God 
•aid, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered 
together, unto one place, and let the dry land appear." 
"And God called the dry land earth; and the gather- 
ing together of the waters called he seas." 

It would seem, therefore, that gravitation is not a 
principle inherent in matter, but was instituted for the 
especial purpose of making water run down hill, in 
order that it should be accumulated in the superficial 
hollows of the earth. And with this principle also, 
the revelator seems not to have been very well ac- 
quainted. 

This divine record also informs us that, upon th« 
fourth day of creation, God made the sun, moon and 
*tars, and set them in the firmament, to give light 
upon the earth; to rule over the day and over the 
night; and to divide the light from the darkness. 

Criticism finds no lack of food in this relation, to 
set its teeth upon. 

We find in the commencement of creation, that 
God created light, and that it was good; that he divi- 
ded it from the darkness, and called the light day, and 
the darkness night ; and that the evening and the 
morning were the first day. Three days, therefore, 
or as most, learned theologians will have it, three 
epochs of a thousand years each, transpired before 
these planetary luminaries were created. Now, it 
would seem, since these were understood by infinite 
wisdom to be indispensable to the system of which 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 31 

the earth is a very insignificant component, that ho 
would have practiced the economy of providing them 
in season, to have answered his earliest purpose. And 
to corroborate, this suggestion, it is proverbial that ths 
strictest economy is observed in all the operations of 
Nature. Hence the apparent singularity, that God 
should have wasted a single effort of almighty power, 
as the above circumstance would indicate. 

Geological researches have already raised many se~ 
irious doubts, amongst the educated, both clergy and 
laity, whether these great. Mosaic, creative, terres- 
trial phenomena, absolutely and successively trans- 
pired, in the short space of one hundred and forty-four 
hours, or six days; and therefore attempt to obviate 
their embarrassment, by the futile, if not contempti- 
ble, hypothesis, that those days were geological eras ? 
or periods of, at least, a thousand years each. By 
this expedient they have created a dilemma, that af- 
fords the theological wiseacre, the amplest opportu- 
nity, for the display of his sophistical jugglery. For, 
consonant with this dogma, the whole vegetable king- 
dom must not only have subsisted, during a thousand 
years, without the invigorating, and at present indis- 
pensable influence of sun-light, but without any light 
at all, during the somewhat protracted night of five 
hundred years. This is a bone for him to gnaw, 
whose mental hunger has made him desperate. 

I would be allowed a word more in addition to a 
foregoing remark upon the firmament, which God 
himself declared to be Heaven, or the revelator wag 
grossly mistaken. For it is thus written, in the eighth 



M THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS, 

verse of the first chapter of Genesis: "And God 
called the firmament Heaven." This appears to be a 
definition of heaven, that spiritualists have entirely 
overlooked, or flagitiously neglected, in the construc- 
tion of their systems; and apparently involves them 
in an inextricable dilemma. 

If Moses has not misrepresented God, nor God 
misapprehended his subject, heaven is a nullity. For, 
as has been already suggested, modern science La» 
demonstrated the firmament to be only the termina- 
tion of vision, in an unobstructed atmosphere. Henca 
it should have constituted an article, in every creed 
of spiritualism, that the only heaven God has reared, 
is built of man's imagination. 

Whenever the subject shall have been fairly exam- 
ined, it may be reasonably anticipated, that the idea* 
associated with heaven and hell, originated in a total 
ignorance of astronomical facts. 

During several thousand years of human history, 
the earth was supposed to be circular, and as flat as a 
trencher, but of very uncertain thickness; over which 
was erected a substantial canopy or firmament, that 
covered its upper or habitable surface, like a tent, of 
which Josephus, the interpreter of the Jewish scrip- 
tures, thus writes, more than half a century after th» 
commencement of the Christian era : " He (God) 
also placed a crystaline firmament round it, and put 
it together in a manner agreeable to the earth, and fit- 
ted it for giving moisture and rain, and for affording 
the advantage of dews." This is an explicit avowal 
of the opinion, that rains and dews were transmitted 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. S3 

by the firmament, from a fountain of water sustained 
upon its upper surface. And whilst you deem this 
opinion too futile for grown-up children ever to have 
adopted, let me tell you that it was no less judicious 
than most of the philosophic opinions of the great 
Lord Bacon, nearly sixteen hundred years after. 

Notwithstanding the unavoidable admission of a 
deep and gloomy cavern beneath the earth, it remained 
entirely unappropriated, to any human purpose, until 
the doctrine of spiritualism, or the soul's immortality 
and accountability, was instituted in Greece, about 
four hundred years before the Christian era, when it 
was converted into a residence for the disembodied 
spirits of unjust men, and denominated ades or hades, 
in the English translation hell, and doubtless a cor- 
ruption of the Hebrew hull, a word denoting infirmi- 
ty, pain, misery, &e. 

On the contrary, the imaginary region above the 
firmament, was supposed to be constantly illuminated, 
with an atmosphere of light and odor, especially 
adapted to the felicity of God, and the spirits of just 
men. 

Now you have no difficulty in apprehending the en- 
tire fallacy of these ancient opinions; nor the utter 
absurdity of respecting, or even retaining, terms, 
which science has rendered, not merely ambiguous, 
but absolutely nugatory. 

It has been long since demonstrated that, with re- 
spect to the inhabitants of the earth, nothing is per- 
manently above or below them; but every thing both, 
in a series of diurnal succession. Hence the express- 

4 



3 4 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

ions, so familiar with Theology, Heaven above and 
Hell beneath, possess too little meaning, to be at all 
impaired by a direct transposition. 

Again. "And God set them (the sun moon and 
stars) in the firmament," &c. 

It is unnecessary that you should be reminded of 
the gross, astronomical ignorance, indicated by this 
expression. You are aware that, as very accurately 
computed, the distance of the sun from the earth is 
ninety-five million of miles, nearly, and that the 
moon, though nearest to the earth of any of the plan- 
etary bodies, revolves at a mean distance of two hun- 
dred and thirty-seven thousand miles. Now, to say 
nothing of the distance of the fixed stars, which is 
altogether too great for trigonometry to compute, it 
must be a very transparent material, of which the 
Mosaic firmament was composed, to transmit light, 
with the splendor of the sun, a distance equal to that 
between the sun and the moon's orbit, or forty-four 
million seven hundred and sixty-three thousand miles. 
And if it would take a ball, as fired from a cannon, 
twenty-six years to reach the sun, and it is thus com- 
puted, it would be a tedious time, in a drouth, before 
we should be drenched from such a distance, beside 
the danger to all living organism from the velocity a 
rain-drop would have acquired in such a descent. 

Omitting any further remarks upon the manner in 
which the° human race was primitively introduced 
upon the earth, a subject, upon which speculation 
may, as abortively exhaust itself, as upon a literal 
and substantial Trinity, we will pass on to the pnnci- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 55 

pal subject of our discourse, or the primitive state of 
man as revealed in the following text, Gen. 1. 57. 
" So God created man in his own image: in the image 
of God created he him; male and female created he 
them." 

Here the questions very forcibly obtrude themselves: 
In what respect did man resemble his maker? Whether 
in his physical, or intellectual character, or both? 

If we admit the accuracy of the Mosaic account of 
God, we are constrained to admit his very near re- 
semblance to humanity, and that not of the most ex- 
alted character. 

That he was corporeal and organized, is most clear- 
ly deducible from the physical phenomena it is said 
he performed, such as seeing, hearing, talking, walk- 
ing &c. And that his intellect resembled man's, is no 
less clearly deducible, from numerous instances of its 
imbecility, of which notice will be taken as they suc- 
cessively occur. But if Adam and Eve, as they are 
represented to have been at their creation, really re- 
sembled God, his worship must be somewhat humili- 
ating to rational creatures. 

If we should forego our criticisms of the, appa- 
rently, inevitable embarrassments, attending the ad- 
mission that God is a physical being, which, most 
certainly, with respect to the attribute of omnipres- 
ence, must occasion, either from his bulk or bustle, 
very serious inconvenieuce to the existence, or har- 
mony, of his creation, and contemplate his intellectual 
and moral character, as represented by our first pa- 
rents, we can scacrely charge a dissent from his wor- 



S6 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 




ship, as an unpardonable sacrilege, or even an unrea- 
sonable neglect. The innocence of the primitive pair 
is made to depend upon their ignorance, which pro- 
hibited their knowing good from evil. And yet they 
were in possession of propensities, for whose direc- 
tion, knowledge or instinct was indispensable, as the 
reputed catastrophe sufficiently proves. Their curi^ 
osity and credulity were also proportioned to their 
innocence, whereby they were ruinously imposed up- 
on by the misrepresentation of a snake. Now, you 
would not, deliberately, recognize these, as consistent 
attributes of a God, notwithstanding Hebrew igno- 
rance shall have thus described them: You would 
doubtless sooner distrust it as a fable; and as having 
originated with some human egotist, who thought so 
smartly of himself, that;, therefore, God would choose 
to be like him. 
\ Subsequently, we read, "And God said, Behold I 
have given you every herb bearing seed, which is up- 

./ on the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which 
is the fruit of a tree yielding seed> to you it shall be 
for meat." Query. Did original transgression so 
strangely modify the constitution and principle of 
both animal and vegetable nature, that a thousand 

>V 5 V articles designed for nutrition, should thus become 
dangerous and fatal poisons? Or is it not more likely 
,»,to be a specimen of the ignorance of that early time? 
With these very liberal criticisms of the first chap- 
ter of Genesis, we will pass to the second, wherein 
are several propositions, upon which a generous crit- 
icism may be profitably exercised. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 



37 






And I hope you will think my claim to your indul- 
gence justifiable, while I continue to examiue tha 
Mosaic evidences of the primitive character of man, 
that being our subject, and this its most popular his- 
tory. 

In the first verse, we read, " Thus the heavens and 
the earth were finished," &c. Man having been 
made as the last labor of the six day's creation, both 
male and female. And in the second verse it is de- 
clared that God rested from all his work of creation, 
upon the seventh day, which he blessed and sancti- 
fied. Hence it must be settled, if our text is true, 
that nothing has been subseqently created. Omitting 
all counter geological circumstances, the following 
difficulty is-, nevertheless, to be in some manner obvi- 
ated, in order to leave the subject as clear as divine 
revelation ought to be. 

We find it repeated in verse 7, That the Lord God 
formed man of the dust of the ground &c, and that 
he subsequently planted the garden of Eden; and took 
the man and put him therein, to dress and keep it — 
meanwhile prohibiting the eating of the tree of 
knowledge of good and evil, which was equivalent to 
saying, He should continue forever in his state of in- 
fantile ignorance, or purchase knowledge at the ex- 
pense of a terrible retribution. Or in other words, 
that he should either be a fool or be damned. After 
this, as in verse 19, God indulged his curiosity, by 
bringing all the creatures he had made unto Adam to 
$ee what he would call them. And Adam gave to 
these many thousands their several appropriate names. 






S3 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

And this ceremony of passing so many creatures in re- 
view before Adam, must have occupied no little time. 

The poor man was nevertheless thus far. a bachel- 
or. And perhaps some suspicious persons may doubt 
whether he did not afterwards repent, that he had not 
continued so. After all this, however, God manufac- 
tured Eve from one of Adam's ribs. The difficulty 
therefore is in reconciling the fact of the entire crea- 
tion having been accomplished in six days, including 
man, both male and female, and yet that the first wo- 
man was not made until a long time afterward, at 
least until the eighth day, leaving a Sabbath interval, 
or era, as modern theology will have it, of a thousand 
years: By which time Adam could not have been at 
all too young to marry, nor yet too little childish to 
refrain. 

Omitting several circumstances recorded in this 
chapter, which are not particularly relevant to our 
present subject, to which however I shall immediate- 
ly recur, 1 will pass it, with a single remark upon the 
last verse, which declares that they were both naked, 
the man and his wife, and were not ashamed, show- 
ing, conclusively, that modesty is not instinctive, but 
merely social, or conventional, with our species. And 
thus it seems to be with every moral virtue. Igno- 
rance, although it may afford excuse for wrong, does 
not insure, nor is itself, a virtue. But on the contrary 
it may well be called the mother of all moral mis- 
chief, as is clearly proved by the catastrophe it is said 
to have early wrought with human nature. 

We are told, in the commencement of the succeed- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 39 

ing chapter, that the serpent was, not only, the most 
subtle of the beasts, (a very singu ar classification of 
the reptile) but that, (more singular still) he talked 
familiarly in human dialect; and although truly one 
of God's good creatures, 

With infidel temerity, gave God the lie; 

And swore that Eve might eat the fruit, nor surely die: 

And thus succeeded with an ignorance and inexperi- 
ence, that God must have, purposely, prepared for 
the occasion, since omniscience could not have misap- 
prehended the result, nor the circumstances upon 
which it depended. It must have been a most singu- 
lar state of things, when snakes knew more than 
folks ! And yet the case was so, or this reputed reve- 
lation is a fable. In either case my point is gained: 
That is, to show the ignorance of primeval manhood; 
which must have been extreme, if Moses told the * 
truth. Or, if the story is a fable, it shows still more; 
viz. That ages of observation, experience and human 
intercourse were wasted upon our stupid race: For 
surely the inconsistencies, fallacies and even absurdi- 
ties of this Mosaic history, leave no room to doubt, 
that the writer, in comparison with a common clown 
of the present time, was verily a blockhead. And if, 
meantime, the wisest of his species, no doubt his an- 
cestors, and may be his cotemporaries, knew less than 
snakes. 

To corroborate this, apparently, severe remark, a 
few brief additional references will be presented, in- 
cluding some of the omissions we have made in chap- 
ter second. 



40 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

In the third chapter and fourth verse, it is thus 
•written: " And the serpent said unto the woman. Ye 
shall not surely die." 

Now, at the time, when the prohibition of the fruit 
was communicated, (and we do not read that it ever 
was repeated,) Eve was not abstracted from the costal 
furniture of her intended spouse, and therefore must 
hare learned of him, or the lying serpent, all she 
knew of God's especial interdiction. 

But suppose Adam to have been God's messenger 
to his wife, of which, however, no hint is given, the 
problem must have been still, with her, whether Ad- 
am or the serpent told the truth. And if it were *>up- 
posable, that Adam could, thus early, have abused 
the confidence of his better half, as grossly as the 
after custom has, too often, been, had Eve believed 
the serpent, or the devil, sooner than her spouse, she 
scarcely could have been culpable. 

We find the following declaration, chap. 2. r. 5 & 
6. " For the Lord God had not caused it to rain up- 
on the earth, and there was not a man to till the 
ground." But there went up a mist from the earth, 
and watered the whole face of the ground." And 
then God planted the garden of Eden, having, v. 7, 
just formed man of the dust of the ground, and 
breathed into him the breath of life, &c. The earth 
therefore had not been watered from the time that 
the seas were formed, viz., at the beginning of the 
third day, and at the close of which, vegetation had 
occurred, " and God saw that it was good. Here the 
question very naturally presents itself, How long had 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 41 

this drouth continued antecedently to the mist above 
referred to ? And how should vegetation have been 
thence affected? Vegetation is declared to have oc- 
curred upon the third day, or the same in which the 
waters were drained from the more elevated portions 
of the earth; and whereon the dry land first appeared 
after its creation. Now if the mist occurred, as it 
seems to have done, to promote vegetation in the 
garden where Adam was to be immediately placed, it 
must have been upon, or after, the sixth day of crea- 
tion. And one of the two interpretations must be 
admitted as applicable to this strange relation. Ei- 
their this interval consisted, according to any plausi- 
ble interpretation, of some three revolutions of the 
earth upon its axis, or about 72 hours, or of three 
geological eras of a thousand years each, which cer- 
tainly would be no slight consideration in the case in 
question. For admitting that God made the earth 
out of nothing, it seems to have consisted of a mis- 
cellaneous admixture of its constituent elements du- 
ring one or two of these periodical revolutions at 
least, and was entirely covered with water until the 
third, leaving, as above remarked, three other revo- 
lutions, up to the creation of man. Now if these 
revolutions, days or epoehs, consisted of twenty^four 
hours each, or seventy-two in the whole, the earth 
having been so lately and thoroughly drenched, could 
scarcely suffer from a drouth so soon, nor other than 
aquatic vegetables thrive lustily. And on the other 
hand, if those eras were each a thousand years, and 

5 



42 THEOLOGICAL CBITICISMS. 

a drouth had lasted during three of them, it seems a 
moisture would have been difficultly raised from such 
a parched and desert surface. 

And then, a moisture taken from the earth, could 
do no more by its return, than to supply the loss it 
must have first occasioned. And, if this proceai 
were necessary in Eden, already watered by th. 
sources of four of the larges^rivers in the world, a 
general barrenness must have destructively prevailed; 
and have rendered a new creation indispensable, un- 
less Nature were possessed of the power of procre- 
ation, which seems to be clearly though strangely in- 
sinuated in the fifth verse of the chapter we are con- 
sidering; and upon which we shall hereafter more 
particularly remark. 

" And a river went out of Eden, to water the gar- 
den; and from thence it parted and became into four 
beads." Here we find ourselves embarrassed by th* 
following queries. If the river went out of Eden, to 
water the garden, could the garden, nevertheless, 
have been in Eden, as it is declared to have been, in 
a preceding verse of the same chapter? And if not, 
at what distance and in what country east of that 
imaginary one, denominated Eden, was it most likely 
situated?' Or was it located only in the imagination 
of the writer? And again. How are we to under- 
stand the declaration, that the river of Eden parted 
into four heads as it passed onward, consistently with 
©ur present notions of that subject? It is certainly, 
bo ordinary occurrence, that a stream should divid* 
itself into four larger ones, which this must har« 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 43 

done, if there is any meaning to the reputed revela- 
tion. The only rivers to which this text can have 
any consistent allusion, are the Euphrates and Tigris, 
nor dp they form a junction until one of them has 
traversed a distance of nearly fourteen hundred 
miles. At this junction, however, theologians hav« 
thought fit to place the fictitious Eden, together with 
the two additional, fictitious rivers. 

It may not be amiss, to enquire also, how it hap- 
pened that Eve, in her reputed ignorance, should 
have so highly appreciated the knowledge of good 
and evil, or that Gods were happier than men, as that 
it should have become a motive to such preposterous 
disobedience. And the serpent not having told her, 
that wisdom was worth possessing, how very singular 
that she should have had a desire for it! 

But the fruit was eaten, and their eyes were opened 
to a recognition of their nakedness. And wherefore? 
Was it because the nakedness, in which God had 
placed them, was an evil, a sin, or shame? Then it 
seems that God should have earlier supplied them 
with garments of skins, from his own manufactory, 
as we are informed he afterwards did, when they 
had, however, already learned to manufacture for 
themselves, and were therefore in less need of his as- 
sistance. Another query very naturally arises: — , 
Whether the formal communication between God and 
his creatures, was consistent with any rational idea of 
the Creator of the Universe? Or was it not rather * 
indicative of human childishness; or, at least, an ig- 
norance of which children should now be ashamed? 






44 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

In the curse pronounced upon the serpent, there is 
a problem of no very easy solution, viz: What sort 
of locomotion did the serpent perforin; and by what 
sort of apparatus was it effected, previous to the exe- 
cution of the curse? And wherefore, was the serpent 
cursed, for saying what he could not have known was 
false, unless he were omniscient, or most unreasona- 
bly familiar with his maker for such a lying, traitor- 
ous reprobate. But what would seem the oddest part 
of this most singular narration is, that this infernal 
reptile, having much more wit than man, and hence 
much more responsibility, and having also most dia- 
bolically seduced God's favorites, to a willful disobe- 
dience of his positive command, and thus transferred 
his only hope and heritage, interminably, to the devil, 
should have been merely sentenced to that peculiar 
mode of locomotion, to which his organism had al- 
ready inevitably doomed him; and that he should 
thenceforth subsist, exclusively, upon a diet which he 
has never eaten, but which was anciently believed to 
be mostly, if not entirely, the creature's subsistence: 
And had the writer of the revelation known, that 
snakes have none, or moveless eyelids, he would, 
doubtless, have made their winkless eyes an item of 
the curse. 

We see that this transgression wrought strangely 
with both the Deity and his works, eliciting a curse, 
that changed the state and character of creation. 
Why not indulge the query then, wherefore God 
should not have hindered the transgression, apparent- 
ly eo easily performed, rather than have wasted so 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 45 

much almighty skill, in remodeling his affairs, and in 
finally obviating, at the halves, the eternal consequen- 
ces of one poor, ignorant man's delinquency? 

It seems to have been no small mistake of the di- 
vine revelator, that he contemplated labor as a curse; 
whilst it doubtless contributes, aside from its pecuni- 
ary attainments, much more than all things else, to 
human health and happiness. The very necessity 
too, which the fall is said to have engendered, is the 
sole circumstance, upon which the development of 
man's physical and intellectual energies depend. But 
for this, he would never have emerged from the le- 
tfaean stupidity — the slough of barbarism, in which 
he must have been originally immersed. 

"And the Lord God said, Behold the man is be- 
come as one of us, to know good and evil." In this 
particular therefore, man was not made in the like- 
ness of God; but, by a most heinous transgress- 
ion, he unluckily attained it. And lest he should par- 
take of the tree of life &c. he was driven out of the 
garden, whose entrance was subsequently defended 
by a much more miraculous process, than to have cor- 
rupted the fruit, and blasted the tree, for which the 
miracle was instituted. 

Thus have I adverted to some of the evidences af- 
forded by the three first chapters of the Pentateuch, 
of the characteristic ignorance and imbecility of the 
early specimens of our race. Nor should it be 
deemed discourteous, that Josephus calls his ancient 
brethren savages. For so, without a doubt, they 
were; nor thus unlike all human nature, unwhipped, 
unschooled by long, calamitous experience. 



46 THEOLOGICAL CUITICISMS. 

I am aware, that the slight criticisms I have mad® 
upon the Bible, will work my serious disparagement, 
with all its superstitious votaries, who shall have 
learned the fact. And yet I have the temerity to pur- 
sue and propagate them, carefully and fearlessly to 
the last recorded fantasm of the Christian revelator: 
And for the sole purpose of eliciting and reciproca- 
ting truth and its legitimate deductions, upon a sub- 
ject which hitherto, has seemed to cost a great deal 
more than it has been worth. In this however I 
know my liability to mistake; and will therefore in- 
vite all counter criticism, and make my frank ac- 
knowledgment, for every fallacy my opponent shalJ 
detect me in. Nor should he, with all his faith ia 
revelation, be frightened at a snarling human criti- 
cism; but breathe with still more freedom, as he feel» 
that truth will thus be more clearly and abundantly 
elicited. If God or Nature owns theology as true,, 
imbecile man will no less vainly, seek its controver- 
sion, than he will his own best good in practicing li- 
centiousness. And if it is a fiction, however brilliant- 
ly illusive in the gloom, it will, nevertheless, like an 
ignis faluuSj allure its votary from the plain, direct 
and safe highway, wherein right reason charges man 
to prosecute his earthly journey, and leave him to in- 
numerable annoyances, he might otherwise avoid. 

Had our race pursued, for eighteen hundred years, 
a fearless, vigilant and unprejudiced search for the 
truths of Nature, instead of spiritual phantoms, it 
might now, with some good show of plausibility deny 
its reputed primicve consanguinity with the ape. 



LECTURE II. 

THE PRIMITIVE AND PROGRESSIVE CHARACTER OP MAW, 

Not having had sufficient opportunity, upon a for- 
mer occasion, to finish my remarks, upon the primi- 
tive character of man, which I had adopted as th» 
subject of my discourse, I am constrained, at this 
time, to solicit your attention to a few additional ones. 

History, both sacred and profane, explicitly declares 
the primitive state of man, whenever and wherever 
he has been thus found, to have been one of degraded, 
savage ignorance and ferocity. Nor could it hare 
been otherwise, unless he were, once, supernaturallj 
endowed with what he now acquires by study and 
experience. And this is a subject, we hope to live, 
hereafter, to discuss. 

la addition to the testimony afforded us, by naviga- 
tors, travelers and missionaries, from the renowned 
Christopher Columbus downward, of the ignorance, 
bnrbarism, and even cannibalism of the natives of 
our own continent, and of the numerous islands of the 
Pacific ocean, which ought to afford satisfactory cor- 
roboration of our remark, we have abundant other, 



48 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

more ancient and perhaps more satisfactory historical 
evidence, that we can conveniently adduce, to the 
same point. 

England, or more anciently, Britain, or Albion, 
when first visited by the Romans, about half a centu- 
ry before the Christian era, was inhabited by a race 
of savages, either naked, or but partly clothed with 
the skins of beasts, the earliest kind of covering, next 
to fig-leaves, ever adopted by our species, and in the 
case of our first parents, as has been before alluded 
to, manufactured by God himself, they being known, 
or supposed to be, incapable of doing it themselves. 
These savage islanders were divided into numerous 
petty tribes, each being governed by a chief of its 
own electing, under whose direction they were, more 
or less of them, almost unremittingly engaged in fero- 
cious and exterminating conflicts. They were hunt- 
ers, or roving herdsmen, without any knowledge of 
agriculture; and debased by the most absurd and 
Druidical superstition; in whose rites, scores of hu- 
man beings were offered at a time, in their diabolical 
sacrifice to an imaginary God. And these pagan, un- 
clad deer-hunters — these literal eannibals of nineteen 
hundred years ago, were the lineal ancestors of the 
present demigods of the cliff-bound isle, whose litera- 
ry fallacies we are fain to mouth; and whose fashion- 
able absurdities we aspire to imitate. Nor does his- 
tory speak better of the early character of their con- 
tinental neighbors, than of themselves. And that, 
even, God's reputed favorites, the Jews, were once 
in the same predicament, as other uncultivated sava- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS* 49 

gea, is evident, not only from the testimony of th« 
Jewish historian, but from the infallible source of di- 
vine revelation, wherein we find, that they, though 
under God's especial guidance and instruction, were 
no less Pagans, Polytheists, and detestable desecrator» 
of both Reason and Justice, in the particular of hu- 
man sacrifice, than any of those Gentile infidels, 
whom God so deeply cursed for Hebrew benefit. Did 
not Rachel steal her father's household gods, and sub- 
sequently escape detection, by a much less honest 
than ingenious artifice, although that would scarcely 
have succeeded with a Catholic inquisitor? Did not 
the idolatry of his brethren so enrage the godly leader 
of the Jewish Exodus, that he brake the graven ta- 
blets of his God; nor knew, that such an invaluable 
bequest would be repeated. Does not each Hebrew- 
record, from Genesis to Chronicles, inclusive, declare 
idolatry to have been the crying, and almost unremit- 
ted sin of God's elected nation, for more than eleven 
hundred years? The Hebrews, then, form no ex- 
ception to the rule, that savages are idolaters. And 
have you heard it from the sacred desk, as all, most 
surely, should have done; nor so seldom either, as 
that it shall have been forgotten, that thi3 peculiar, 
pious people believed that God was pleased with hu- 
man sacrifice, a sign of deepest moral degradation? 
However careful Theology has been to let this ques- 
tion rest, without a comment, or a breath so free, a# 
tbat it might awake the sleeping dragon, there stand* 
a witness of its own, amidst its treasured oracles, 
that says, emphatically, the thing is true! "Nono 

e 



50 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 



devoted," (for sacrifice) "which shail be devoted of 
men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to 
death." Thus we find, that one of the ordinances 
that God imposed upon the Levites, or holy priest- 
hood, was to sacrifice human beings under certain cir- 
cumstances, without the right of redemption at any 
rate whatever. And if corroboration is demanded, 
we will refer you to the fulfillment of Jeptha's vow, 
in which he promised the Lord, if he succeeded in 
his invasion of the Ammonites, that whatsoever came 
forth of the doors of his house to meet him, on his 
return, should be consecrated to Him, and offered up 
for a burnt offering. We think that Incredulity it- 
self, would be ashamed to demand further corrobora- 
tion of the truth of our remark. And to leave no 
doubt of a Hebrew Polytheism, or that religion which 
includes a catalogue of inferior deities, or subordinate 
gods, you have only to avail yourselves of a single 
fact, viz: That their language includes a nomencla- 
ture, of the kind in question, amongst which are the 
following: Elihoreph, God of winter or of youth; 
Eliashib, God of conversion; Elijah, God of strength; 
Eliphalet, God of deliverance; Elisha, God of salva- 
tion; Elishah, God of help; Elmodam, God of mea- 
sure; Ishmael, God that hears; Tabeal, God of good- 
ness; Uriel, God of fire. Again we have the follow- 
ing, wherein father is synonymous with God, viz: 
Abidah, Father of knowledge; Abidan, Father of 
judgment; Abiezer, Father of help; Abihail, Father 
of strength; Abijam, Father of the sea; Abilene, 
Father of mourning, or of grief; Abinadab, Fatbei 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 51 

©f willingness; Abiuoam, Father of beauty; Abisha- 
lom, Father of Peace; Abishua, Father of salvation; 
Abishnr, Father of uprightness; Abital, Father of 
the dew; Abitub, leather of goodness; Abiud, Father 
of praise; Abner, Father of light; Absalom, Father 
of Peace. Again, Baal-perazim, God of divisions; 
Baal-zebub, God of the fly, &c. 

Here we close our evidence of the primitive barba- 
rism of the human race, which we think should be 
satisfactorily received by any candid enquirer, 
" The proper study of mankind, is man!" 

So wrote the poetic philosopher, Alexander Pop©, 
whose works have successfully defied the most labo- 
rious attempts at emulation, for more than a hundred 
years. And yet we venture to suggest, that the study 
of man would be too limited and monotomous to com- 
pensate the trouble of its prosecution, were it not as- 
oociated with that of other numerous phenomena, 
with which he stands in a more or less intimate rela- 
tion. The proper study of mankind seems, there- 
fore, that of the phenomena of nature, where man 
belongs, and where he rightfully claims precedence. 
Nature is to be contemplated, a3 a magnificent 
Work-shop, wherein a few primitive principles ar« 
enabled, by indefinite modification, to produce the in- 
numerable, and interminably diversified phenomena 
of the material world; which phenomena in the char- 
acter of so many transformations of the matter of ths 
universe, clearly illustrate, that its parts are in a per- 
petual state of action and reaction upon each other, 
And, strange as it may appear, it is becoming a que*. 



5£ THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

tiem of no inconsiderable interest and plausibility, 
among the simplifiers of science, whether electricity, 
variously modified by successive and peculiar cir- 
cumstances, is not the exclusive principle, upon which 
all the phenomena, or changes of Nature, depend. It 
would be, doubtless, premature, however, to settle 
this question either way, at present. At any rate, 
corroborative facts ought to be much more abundantly 
accumulated, before the affirmative of this proposi- 
tion can be safely adopted, as a valid corollary of 
physical science. 

It is true that Nature, with all her infinitude of re- 
sources, is, nevertheless, economical of her princi- 
ples and expenditures; squandering nothing by in- 
adaptness, inadequacy, or superfluous multiplication 
of causes: And whatever number of laws she has in- 
stituted, their simplicity has been a subject of agreea- 
ble surprise, to all who have, fortunately discovered 
them. 

As spectators of Nature's phenomena, our vision 
with all its artificial aid, is comparatively limited to 
a mere point; and yet that point is much too pregnant 
with variety, for man's successful inquisition. For 
what is all our pictured firmament, though its radius 
were measured by a Herschel's telescope, compared 
with worlds interminably piled on worlds? And then 
again, each drop, of yon transparent, rippling brook, 
though but a mimic world, is, notwithstanding, 
crowded with a countless, living population that de- 
fies no less our vulgar scrutiny, than does the nature 
cf the laws that formed it. 



, THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. M 

What then, must be the insignificance of individual, 
yea of aggregate, humanity, in attempting to direct 
or modify the phenomena of an infinite creation, or 
oven to apprehend the intrinsic character of the laws 
that govern them? 

Human imbecility is more than proverbial, when- 
ever it is employed upon a sul ject as magnificent as 
Nature's greatest, or as intricate as her minutest pro- 
ducts. Nor less than thus, whenever it would invade 
the recess of ultimate causality. 

But it would seem, that Nature intended to com- 
pensate for the barrenness of our discrimination, by 
the fertility of our imaginations; thereby enabling us, 
with all desired facility, to transport ourselves, from 
this matter-of-fact world of disagreeable realities, to 
an imaginary one, fruitful of the happiest fictions. 

However imbecile are the human powers, or how- 
ever circumscribed is the theater of human enterprise, 
there are, nevertheless, many circumstances, with 
which man may, and should, become acquainted: Nor 
are they rendered unimportant, by an insignificance 
disproportioned to his own. They are well adapted 
to his situation and capacity: Nor has Nature or- 
dained a phenomenon, that is not emphatically great, 
to little man. Yes; so great is the least, that Nature 
ever deigned to present, that it is intrinsically, and in 
its ultimatum, as incomprehensible as infinity itself. 
It is not, therefore, with ultimate principles nor pri- 
mary states of matter, that human cognizance has to 
do: They are indefinitely removed beyond the limits 
of finite scrutiny; and are known only as deductions 



54 •JHEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

from secondary phenomena: And these are the cir- 
cumstances that occupy exclusively, the whole field 
of human observation; and constitute the only mate- 
rials of human knowledge. 

All genuine science, therefore, consists in a knowl- 
edge of specific and comparative facts, and inference* 
legitimately deduced therefrom; and hence can be ac- 
quired in no other manner, than by observation and 
reflection. Nor can the latter be exercised, but upon 
the materials already provided by the former. And 
in this circumstance is to be formed a solution of the 
problem of the tardy progress of intellectual im- 
provement. Nothing promises greater indulgence of 
human curiosity than literary antiquarianism; nor 
anything more gratifying to the literary speculator, 
than a concise, but judiciously compiled history of 
the progress of human knowledge from its primitive 
barbarism to its highest, present elevation : Nor 
should it be doubted, that a competent genius could 
not be more usefully and profitably employed, than 
upon such an enterprise. And you will permit me to 
express my regret, at the want of both talents and 
opportunity, to afford you more than a few miscella- 
neous hints upon this voluminous and interesting sub- 
ject. 

Whatever vacillation science may have suffered 
during several thousand years, or however differently 
It may have advanced with different nations, and at 
different times, it is not deducible from any authentic, 
historical record, that it had ever attained a higher 
elevation than at the time, and by the contributions of 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 55 

the proverbially great Sir Francis Bacon, whose tirn« 
commenced the era of renovated science — the resusci- 
tation of a long smothered genius, that Bigotry had 
hitherto, for sixteen hundred years, securely immersed 
in the Stygian element, until its long unstruggling si- 
lence, attested to its dissolution. And Superstition, 
Bigotry and the Church, blessed the God of obsti- 
nate, ignorant Stability for so great and happy a de- 
liverance. But their joy was turned to sorrowing, 
when they found that Genius had been only sleeping. 

Whatever we may be called to do upon another oc- 
casion, we will confine our remarks, at present, to 
the question of comparative difference between the 
present state of natural, or physical science, and that 
of the time of Lord Bacon, of whom you have all 
heard much and often. He has been represented, and 
no doubt truly, as the wonder and disgrace of hie 
age — the precocious philosopher, who in the sixteenth 
year of his childhood, ventured upon the invalidation 
of the fallacies of the Aristotjian philosophy, which 
for near two thousand years, had held unqualified 
dominion over the scientific opinions of mankind — a 
literary Hercules, who had the temerity to beard th« 
peripatetic Lion in his den — the man of universal ge- 
nius, and indefatigable industry, who wrote volumi- 
nously upon history, law, medicine, theology, physi- 
cal and metaphysical philosophy, geology, mineralo- 
gy, agriculture, horticulture, witchcraft and magic. 

And here we stop, to introduce, to your notice, a 
few specimens of this intellectual prodigy, of the 
©Iden time. 



56 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

Speaking of the spontaneous elimination of salt, 
from sea-water, he says, vol. 1, p 240, of his works, 
In 10 vols., London, 1800, that he has little doubt, 
"that the very dashing of the water thatcometh from 
the sea, is more proper to strike off the salt part, than 
when the water slideth of its own motion." This 
specimen affords indubitable evidence, that the great 
Lord Bacon was totally ignorant of the solvency and 
vaporability of water. He appears not to have 
known, that sea-water is but fresh-water holding in 
solution more or less common-salt, or muriate of eo- 
da; which is elimenated by the evaporation of the 
solvent, and aggregated, into more or less perfect cubic 
crystals. But this is knowledge, so familiar to all of 
you, that, were not the fact most voraciously record- 
ed, you would seriously doubt, that a learned man of 
any period, could have been so grossly ignorant. 
Again, on the same page, speaking of the percolation 
of water and other liquids, through cloth, sand and 
wood, as being good strainers &.c, he says: "The 
gum of trees, which we see to be commonly shining 
and clear, is but a fine passage, or straining of the 
juice of the tree, through the wood and bark; and in 
like manner, cornish diamonds, and rock rubies, 
which are yet more resplendent than gums, are the 
fine exudations of stone." 

What backwoodsman — what aboriginal forester 
could have displayed a profo under ignorance, upon 
these subjects, than has this great scholar of the sev- 
enteenth century ? Did he know, as children now do, 
that vegetable gums are the product of glandular 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 57 

secretion in vegetables, no less than gall and urine 
aro in animals; or that crystals cannot result from the 
percolation of sap or other liquid through an imper- 
meable, inorganic rock? And these were the very 
gems of science, when Sir Francis Bacon was a prodi- 
gy of learning. 

I am aware, that I ought not to waste this opportu- 
nity in quoting nonsense, even, from the highest au- 
thority; but I cannot resist the temptation, to present 
you with a few more specimens from this fountain of 
literary absurdity, which was, for a long time, es- 
teemed the quintessence of abstract philosophy. 

Upon the subject of temperature, my Lord Bacon 
says, p 270, - The producing of cold is very worthy 
the inquisition, both for the use, and disclosure of 
causes: For heat and cold are Nature's two hands, 
whereby she chiefly worketb; and heat we have, in 
readiness, in respect of the fire; but for cold, w 
must stay till it cometh, or seek it in deep caves, o 
upon high mountains: And when all is done, we can 
not obtain it, in any great degree; for furnaces of fire 
are far hotter than a summer's sun; but vaults or hills 
are not much colder than a winter's frost." And of 
the means of producing cold, « the first is that which 
Nature presenteth us withal: viz. the expiring of cold 
out of the inward parts of the earth, in winter, when 
the sun hath no power to overcome it; the earth be- 
ing, as hath been said by some, primum frigidum » 
or originally cold. - The second cause of cold is the 
contact of cold bodies; for cold is active and transi- 
tive, into bodies adjacent, as well as heat, which is 

7 



we 
r 

e 



SB THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

seen, in those things, that are touched with snow or 
cold water. The third cause is the primary nature 
of all tangible bodies; for it is well to be noted, that 
all things, whatsoever,, tangible, are of themselves 
cold, except they have an accessory heat, by fire, life 
or motion: For even the spirit of wine, or chemical 
oils, which are so hot in operation, are to the first 
touch cold. The fourth cause is the density of the 
body; for all dense bodies are colder than most other 
bodies, as metals, stone, glass; and they are longer in 
heating than softer bodies. And it is certain, that 
earths dense, tangible hold all the nature of cold. 
The cause is, for that all matters tangible being cold, 
it must needs follow, that when the matter is most 
congregate, the cold is the greater. The fifth cause 
of cold, or rather of increase and vehemency of cold 
is a quick spirit, inclosed in a cold body; as will ap- 
pear to any, that shall attentively consider of nature, 
in many instances. We see nitre, which hath a quick 
spirit, is cold, more cold to the tongue, than stone; 
so water is colder than oil, because it hath a quicker 
spirit — and snow is colder than water, because it hath 
more spirit within it. So we see, that salt put to ice, 
as in the producing of artificial ice, increaseth the ac- 
tivity of cold. So some insects which have spirit of 
life, as snakes and silkworms, are, to the touch, cold; 
so quicksilver, (or metallic mercury,) is the coldest 
of metals, because it is fullest of spirit. The sixth 
cause of cold is the chasing and driving away of 
spirits, such as have some degree of heat; for the 
banishing of the heat must needs leave any body cold. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 59 

This we see, in the operation of opium and stupe- 
factives, upon the spirits of living creatures; and it 
were not amiss, to try opium, by laying it upon the 
top of a weather-glass, to see whether it will contract 
the air: But I doubt it will not succeed; for beside 
that the virtue of opium will hardly penetrate, through 
such a body as glass, I conceive that opium and the 
like, make the spirits fly rather by malignity, than by 
cold." Seventhly and lastly, he says, " the same ef- 
fect must follow upon the exhaling, or drawing out 
of the warm spirits, that doth upon the flight of the 
spirits. There is an opinion, that the moon is mag- 
netical of heat, as the sun is of cold and moisture: It 
were not amiss, therefore, to try it with warm waters; 
the one exposed to the beams of the moon; the other 
with some screen betwixt; and see whether the former 
will cool sooner. 5 ' 

It should be entirely unnecessary for me to point 
out, to you-, the fallacies of this long quotation. It is 
altogether impossible, that any of you, for whom this 
discourse was prepared, shall misapprehend them. 
You cannot have evaded the conclusion, that this 
great author was childishly ignorant of the nature of 
heat, or caloric, and of the laws, by which its phe- 
nomena are governed. And are you not equally im- 
pressed with the discrepancy and imbecility of his 
misinterpretations ? 

You have not forgotten, that his fifth cause of cold 
is a " spirit, enclosed in a cold body," and that he in- 
stances the cold of nitre, or nitrate of potash, com- 
monly called salt-petrre, in the process of solution 



60 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

upon the tongue, in confirmation. How clearly this 
example illustrates his ignorance of a principle, that 
chemistry has long since elucidated, viz., that the 
transformation of a solid, to a liquid, is invariably at- 
tended with the reduction of sensible caloric, which 
seems to have been absorbed and appropriated, as an 
indispensable constituent of the material, in its state 
of transformation; and in this state, wherein it is in- 
capable of affecting the thermometer, or of being de- 
tected by the touch, it is denominated latent heat; of 
which, it is little less than discourtesy, that I should 
say, it must, necessarily, be derived from the sur- 
rounding bodies, and, therefore, in the case in ques- 
tion, from the tongue itself, thereby reducing the 
temperature, and consequently occasioning the sensa- 
tion of cold. Nor can you have overlooked the sur- 
prising inconsistency of an immediately subsequent 
remark, in which he declares the sixth cause of cold 
to be "the chasing and driving away of spirits, such 
as have some degree of heat." What a farrago of 
nonsense have we here. A body cold, from the en- 
dowment of a cold spirit — rendered still colder by the 
abduction of a hot one, between which, there should 
have been represented an energetic contest for maste- 
ry; and this would have afforded a single cause of 
heat, altogether more plausible and efficient, than any 
he has propounded for the production of either heat 
or cold. He seems to have known nothing of the ra- 
diation, reflection, or conduction of heat; or his in- 
terpretations of cold (which, by the by, is nothing 
but the negation of heat,) would not have been char- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 61 

actcrized by an irrecoverable decrepitude, with which. 
even, crutches are unavailable. Natural Philosophy 
was certainly in its infancy, when it recognized cold, 
as one of the accive agencies of Nature! 

A few moments further encroachment upon your pa- 
tience will have ended my quotations, for the present. 

Of the transmutation of bodies, or the changing of 
one substance into another, our philosopher says, p 
275, " It is very probable, as hath been touched, that 
that which will turn water into ice, will, likewise, 
turn air, some degree nearer, into water: Therefore, 
try the experiment of the artificial turning water inio 
ice, whereof we shall speak, in another place, with 
air in place of water, and the ice about it. And 
though it be a greater alteration, to turn air into wa- 
ter, than water into ice, yet there is this hope, that, 
by continuing the air longer time, the effect will fol- 
low." 

Lord Bacon's geological notion? are quite too ab- 
surdly curious to be entirely omitted in these quota- 
tions. He says, of the induration of bodies, "The 
examples, taking them, promiscuously, are many, as 
the generation of stones within the earth, which, at 
the first, are but rude earth, or clay; and so minerals, 
which come, no doubt, at first of juices concrete, 
which afterwards indurate ; also the exudation of 
rock diamonds and crystal, which harden with time." 
" For indurations by cold, there be few trials of it; 
for we have no strong or intense cold here, on the 
surface of the earth, so near the beams of the sun 
and the heavens. The likeliest trial is by snow and 



62 THEOLOGICAL CKITIClSMS. 

ice; for as snow and ice, especially being holpen, and 
their cold activated by nitre or salt, will turn water 
into ice, and that in a few hours; so it may be, it will 
turn wood or stiff clay into stone, in longer time." 
How very different is this solution from the modern 
geological one, viz., that earth is formed by the dis- 
gregation, or decay, of rocks, which detritus or sand 
being washed down from elevated positions, into the 
depressions or excavations of the earth's surface, are 
there subjected to the combined influence of pressure 
and volcanic heat, whereby they are again consolida- 
ted into primitive, solid rock, which, being subse- 
quently elevated by the same volcanic power, be- 
comes once more the subject of another revolution. 
Nor did the English philosopher, appear to have, 
even, dreamed, that the stones and pebbles, he refers 
to, were once aggregate portions of mountain rock, 
which had been wrought into their present character 
by the tireless operation of time and the elements. 

Of making gold, by transmutation, this philosopher 
says: cc The world hath been much abused by the 
opinion of making gold: The work itself I judge to L 
possible; but the means hitherto propounded to effect 
it are, in the practice, full of error and imposture; 
and, in the theory, full of unsound imaginations." 
In the mean time, by occasion of handling the ax- 
ioms, touching maturation, we will direct a trial 
touching the maturing of metals, and thereby turning 
some of them into gold; for we conceive indeed, that 
a perfect good concoction, or digestion, or maturation 
of some metals, will produce gold." And here fol- 






THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 63 

lows his recipe, for that invaluable purpose, viz. 
" Let there be a small furnace made of a temperate 
heat; let the heat be such, as may keep the metal per- 
petually molten, and no more; for that, above all, 
purporteth to the work. For the material, take sil- 
ver, which is the metal that, in nature, symbolizeth 
most with gold; put in also with the silver, a tenth 
part of quicksilver, and a twelfth part of nitre, by 
weight; both these to quicken and open the body of 
the metal; and so let the work be continued, by the 
space of six months, at the least. I wish also that 
there be at some times, an injection of some oiled 
substance, such as they use in the recovering of gold, 
which, by vexing with separations, hath been made 
churlish; and this is to lay the parts more close and 
smooth, which is the main work." Alchimy, I need 
not tell you, in the utmost hight of its phrensy, never 
perpetrated a greater absurdity than this. 

" Putrefaction," he says, " is the work of the spir- 
its of bodies, which are ever unquiet, to get forth, 
and congregate with the air, and to enjoy the sun- 
beams." Of the many means, he enumerates, to in- 
duce and accelerate putrefaction, " the eighth is. by 
the releasing of the spirits, which, before, were close 
kept, by the solidness of their coverture, and thereby 
their appetite of issuing checked; as in the artificial 
rusts induced by strong waters (meaning the mineral 
acids) in iron, lead &c; and, therefore, wetting has- 
teneth rust or putrefaction of any thing, because it 
softeneth the crust, for the spirits to come forth." 
Again, he says, of the conversion of oil into water, 



64 THEOLOGICAL CBITICISMS. 

" The intention of version of water into a more oil/ 
substance, is by digestion; for oil is almost nothing 
but water digested; and this digestion is principally 
by heat; or it may be caused by the mingling of 
bodies, already oily or digested; for they will some- 
what communicate their nature with the rest." 
Again, upon the subject of vegetation, he says, " The 
ancients have affirmed, that there are some herbs, 
that grow out of stone; which may be, for that it is 
certain, that toads have been found in the middle of 
freestone." You do not mistake this illustration of 
the most preposterous fallacy, viz., that our philoeo- 
pher seriously believed the toads referred to, to have 
been generated, nourished and matured within the 
enclosures where they were found. Upon the subject 
of atmospheric impurities, he says, " It was observed 
in the great plague of last year, that there were seen, 
in divers ditches, and low ground about London, ma- 
ny toads, that had tails two or three inches long, at 
the least; whereas toads, usually, have no tails at all; 
which argueth a great disposition to putrefaction, in 
the soil and air." Now this interpretation of a fact, 
that probably never existed, and seriously promulga- 
ted as an important item of natural philosophy, is too 
contemptible, even, for irony. It is entirely unwor- 
thy of a sneer. 

As the last quotation, with which I will trouble 
you, at this time, I will present you one, with the 
following very curious caption, viz. " Of sweetness 
of odor from the rainbow." " It hath been observed 
by the ancients," says Lord Bacon, " that, where a 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 65 

rainbow seemeth to hang over, or to touch, there 
breatheth forth a sweet smell. The cause is, for that 
this happeneth in certain matters, which have, in 
themselves some sweetness, which the gentle dew of 
the rainbow, doth draw forth, and the like do soft 
showers; for they also make the ground sweet: But 
none are so delicate, as the rainbow, where it falleth. 
It may be also that the water itself have some sweet- 
ness," &c. In the foregoing quotations, you are pre- 
sented with adequate means to enable you to distin- 
guish with satisfactory precision, the difference be- 
tween the state of natural science, two hundred years 
ago, and at the present time. 

You see, in what inexplicable mystery, the most 
ordinary phenomena were then enveloped; and how 
extremely fallacious, were the reasoning and inter- 
pretations of the most extraordinary genius of any 
age or country. But with these palpable — these pre- 
posterous fallacies, Sir Francis Bacon was not justly 
chargeable. He was undeniably an intellectual prodi- 
gy, who, having been born two hundred years later, 
would be, at this moment, the predominant star, in 
the world's literary firmament. No! it was not Ba- 
con, but the times in which Bacon lived, that stultified 
an intellect, that, to-day, would successfully aspire to 
universal knowledge; a time when, for more than 
two thousand years, Superstition had inextricably 
fastened its clogs, upon the heels of Genius, and ef- 
fectually tied up Reason, in leading strings. — A long 
period of proverbial literary darkness, which Chris- 
tianity had arbitrarily Enforced upon mankind. Do 



£6 THEOLOGICUL CRITICISMS. 

not mistake me, as including, in my ideas of super- 
stition, the most fastidious, moral virtue; but treat 
me, if jou will, with the courtesy of recollecting my 
definition of it, as the subject of future criticism. I 
define superstition to be a religious veneration, for 
what cannot be examined by our senses, nor legiti- 
mately deduced by our reason: And if this definition 
is exceptionable, or its subject justifiable, they are in 
your possession, together with my premeditated 
promise of grateful acknowledgement for amend- 
ment, or refutation. 

I am conscious of having hazarded much, with 
your patience, by the foregoing series of quotations 
and unavoidable, slightest possible comments, but, as 
I have already said, I could not forego the pleasure 
of introducing you to a few of the innumerable gems 
that sparkled upon the pages of former science. Nor 
will you, carelessly, mistake the character of the 
specimens, with which you have been presented. 
They are neither the stupid yawnings of rusticity, 
nor the evaporations of a brain, steeped in the bigot- 
ries of the time; but the profoundest cogitations of 
the profoundest and most learned of men. What, 
therefore, must have been the character of Bacon's 
tinie and cotemporaries, I leave to the fertility of 
your imaginations to interpret; language being alto- 
gether inadequate to its description. 

From what has been adduced, you are doubtless 
fully convinced of the progressive nature of human 
science; and that the knowledge requisite to have 
mad© a wonderful philosopher of two centuries ago, 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 67 

is scarcely sufficient to make a respectable clown of 
the present time. Nothing has been stationary with- 
in the modifying power of human intellect: And 
whatever has failed to participate of its plastic 
emendations, must have been excluded from its scru- 
tiny, or have been too incorporeal for successful ex- 
amination. 

Could the spirits of the ancients be aroused, from 
their protracted slumber, and awaked, to a present 
and a retrospective consciousness, with what aston- 
ishment, would they look upon the world's metamor- 
phosis, since they left its bustling theater? — With 
what magic influence, would the countless novelties, 
of physical science, which modern genius has dug out 
of the rubbish of former times, dance before their 
enchanted vision? And do you contemplate the fu- 
ture, as prononncing the same humiliating sentence 
upon us, as we are justly pronouncing upon the 
past — that the proudest intellectual accomplishments 
of to-day, will, in a few fleeting years, be stigmatized 
as the fooleries of antiquity? I venture to charge 
you with having misapprehended the nature of the 
case, or the testimony, by which a decision should be 
sustained. The cases are not parallel, in the circum- 
stances relevant to the question. 

The earliest knowledge, amongst mankind, must 
have been that of mere animal wants, and the practi- 
cal manipulation, subservient to their indulgence. 
Their enterprise must have been exclusively directed 
to the attainment of sustenance, and personal securi- 
ty; to which clothing and other comforts, and finally 



68 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

luxuries, were, doubtless, successively added. Ne- 
cessity and expediency must for a long time, with 
every primitive people, have formed the texts, upon 
which, their entire history w 7 as a practical commenta- 
ry. Abstract science, therefore, must have been 
slow, in presenting, and still slower in substantiating, 
its claims, upon human consideration: And what is 
much more unlucky, still, is, that whatever reflection 
was appropriated, without the pale of daily necessi- 
ties, w r as squandered upon the whims of an unculti- 
vated imagination. Fancy supplied a substitute for 
facts, which prejudice, or imposture, lost no time in 
appropriating, to its favorite purposes: And hence, 
the worst of all literary predicaments followed, viz: 
That mankind were not merely ignorant, and there- 
fore, justly supposed to be teachable, but erroneously 
taught, and so as to be incorrigibly certain of the in- 
fallibility of their own ignorance. You can have no 
difficulty in apprehending the advantages of mere 
negative knowledge, over fallacies, laboriously ac- 
quired. No! you need not be told, how much more 
irksome is the task of unteaching what has already 
been mistaught, than of teaching what has not been 
taught at all; and most, who have been either teach- 
ers or pupils, are doubtless ready to yield a cheerful 
corroboration of the fact. 

That science, even in Christendom, was mostly 
founded upon hypothesis, for sixteen hundred years, 
you have ample testimony in the quotations, already 
presented you, from the works of Francis Bacon, to 
the truth of which every page of literary history 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 69 

offers corroborative testimony: And that it was, du- 
ring the same period, under the supervisorship of 
guperstitionists, or mistaught individuals, we have 
only to refer to the biographies of such men as Roger 
Bacon, more commonly called Friar Bacon; Nicho- 
las Copernicus, and the immortal Galileo Galilei. 
Nor does the former ever recur to my recollection, 
unaccompanied by sincere regret, that a little book 
purporting to contain many curious anecdotes of that 
philosophic paragon of the thirteenth century, and 
from which I derived an indelible satisfaction in my 
early boyhood, is not now extant; and in the possess- 
ion of every youthful reader in my country. 

Roger Bacon was a conscientious and indefatigable 
devotee of natural science — an enthusiastic aspirant 
after practical knowledge; in which hallowed enter- 
prise he was but too successful, for the period at 
which he lived. His numerous and novel chemical 
experiments, amongst which was the discovery of the 
composition of gun-powder, were so wonderful to 
his ignorant and superstitious cotemporaries, that 
they contemplated him as an agent of the devil; and 
leagued with the adversary to spoil man's spiritual 
prospects : And for these holy aspirations after truth* — 
this careful listening to Nature's interpretations of 
herself, he was denounced as a dangerous and insuf- 
ferable heretic; forbade to teach his doctrines at the 
public university; and subsequently twice imprison- 
ed; in the last instance, during ten years; forbade 
communication with his friends, and so poorly fed, as 
even to endanger his life — a martyr of both the in- 
quisition of Nature, and of the Church. 



TO THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

Notwithstanding we have already expended a re- 
mark upon those mathematical prodigies, Copernicus 
and Galilei, our present, particular purpose may, 
nevertheless, excuse its repetition. 

You have all, doubtless, both heard and read, 
much aud often, of those great philosophers of ths 
Sixteenth century, whom Nature had endowed with 
on intellectual voracity, insatiable of her most prodi- 
gal and choicest revelations — swallowing, digesting 
and assimilating to their own minds, with the easiest 
facility, facts and principles which would stultify 
common intellects to contemplate. 

The name of Copernicus is justly and inseperably 
associated with our present sublime system of math- 
ematical astronomy, he being the extraordinary in- 
dividual, with whom it substantially originated. And 
because he looked around him with a scrutiny un- 
known to his cotemporaries; and familiarized him- 
self with principles of which the world had never 
dreamed; adopting the truths of Nature, regardless 
of their apparent discrepancy with revelation, he 
was relentlessly assailed with obloquy, persecution 
and outlawry, by the same Christian Church that 
claims to have been the successful patroness of all 
nseful science for the entire period of eighteen hun- 
dred years. 

Of Galilei, more should be said, in justice to his 
memory, and in condemnation of his cotemporaries, 
than would be compatible with the whole of the pre- 
sent opportunity; and yet, a word must suffice, to 
show the sort of patronage, the Church bestowed 
upon philosophy. 



THEOLOGIC.il, CRITICISMS. 71 

This was the man, whose genius, attracted by the 
individual footsteps, wherein Copernicus had sought 
out the material of a future edifice, approached the, 
yet, unquarried mountain, where a few unhewn 
blocks were scattered at its base; and here, its prodi- 
gious energies were successfully applied, in breaking 
up and fashioning the mountain mass, into the con- 
stituents of an exquisite, aggregate geometry. 

These materials were erected, by his individual, 
superhuman strength, into a most magnificent temple 
of astronomical science, of which, only the cornice 
and dome remained, for the ingenuity of a Newton 
to supply. This man, unimpeached, even by hjs 
most inveterate adversaries, of any other delinquen- 
cy, than a persevering scrutiny of Nature, for a rev- 
elation of her uncommunicated secrets, became the 
unfortunate object of a relentless persecution, which 
finally deigned to offer him personal safety, in ex- 
change for his moral integrity. In this dilemma, into 
which his imputed heresies had involved him, he, un- 
luckily, preferred hypocrisy to martyrdom; and, con- 
sonant with the requisition of a Romish tribunal, 
knelt before the altar of a persecuting superstition, 
and, with his hands upon the reputedly holy evange- 
lists, declared, before God and a bigoted Inquisition, 
that what he had taught of the mobility of the earth, 
upon its axis, and in its solar orbit, was a false and 
damnable heresy, contrary to scripture, and the opin- 
ion of the Church. But as he arose from his posture 
of degrading, hypocritical humility, the resuscitated 
spirit of his native dignity awoke to an insuppressi- 



72 THEOLOGICAL CB1TICISMS. 

ble indignation at the base duplicity, to which his 
moral cowardice had seduced him, and, in the act of 
retiring from that covert of bigoted misanthropy, 
exclaimed in the contemptuousness of a wounded 
spirit, " Epur si motive." — " And yet, it moves." 

Such have been the usage and the fate of most of 
those occasional prodigies of genius, which Nature 
ieems to hav8, especially, designed as the literary 
pioneers of mankind, to the literal fruition of a social 
milleniurn. But Prejudice has hitherto succeeded but 
too well, in thwarting the success of their benevolent 
mission ! 

The reasons, therefore, why I venture an augury, 
to ourselves, so much more favorable of the com- 
mendation of posterity, than we are willing, or bound, 
to bestow upon antiquity, are, that Truth has, at 
length disclosed so many of her fascinations, and so 
much of the sanativeness of her character, as, finally, 
to have become, with many individuals, a successful 
competitor, with fiction, for the affection and respect 
of humanity; — that the caustic acrimony, of a perse- 
cuting prejudice, has been very considerably diluted, 
by the blood and tears, which the votaries of truth 
have so often and so freely, shed, at its unhallowed 
shrine— that Facts, thoroughly scrutinized, in all their 
parts and bearings, are growing fashionable, as a 
substitute for the vague and unmeaning assumptions, 
upon which ancient theories were almost exclusively 
founded; and that a stupid veneration for the names 
and opinions of reputed great men which has, hither- 
to, lain, like an incubus upon the heaving chest of 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 78 

slumbering Genius, is beginning to give place to a 
reasonable distrust of the claims of the one, and of 
the infallibility of the other. In fine, mankind are, 
more generally, waking up to the dignified conscious- 
ness, that they may, and ought to, think for them- 
selves, upon all subjects, in which they have a com- 
mon interest. And these circumstances are present- 
ed as a few of the many valid evidences, that our 
literary reputation should, and will, stand fairer with 
posterity, than that of antiquity does with us. 

It is Truth, then, after which our race should ex- 
clusively and ardently aspire; nor should that ardor 
be dampened, by a single suspicion, that its attain- 
ment can possibly prove disastrous, or even adverse, 
to human welfare. 

Error and Prejudice are the earliest characteristics 
of reflective humanity, and are only to be eradicated 
by the predominance of Truth and Reason, which, 
unfortunately, are often much too tardy in their mis- 
sion, or too feeble in their administration, to establish 
a successful, salvatory dominion over the human 
character. 

Thus you are enabled to contemplate the slowly 
progressive character of the human intellect, and to 
appreciate the obligation which science is under to 
Theology, for at least sixteen hundred years of the 
present era. And notwithstanding all the boastful 
dogmatism of the clergy, that Christianity has been 
the pioneer, and most liberal contributor, to natural 
science, for the whole period of its existence, History 
so flatly contradicts the assertion that we ought to be 

9 



74 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

excused for suspecting, its promulgators of gross ig- 
norance, or culpable dishonesty. We know, that as 
late as 1633, the mathematical prodigy, Galileo, was 
sentenced to interminable imprisonment in the cells 
of a self-styled, holy inquisition, for adhering to his 
opinion that the earth revolved upon its axis, and al- 
so in its annual solar-orbit — facts as little disputed, at 
present, as that two and two make four. Yes ! Chris- 
tianity, in this nether world, has been another name 
for persecuting intolerance, and virulent, murderous 
contention. It has set its cloven hoof, upon the ge- 
nius of Free-inquiry, with an inflexible determination 
to lacerate it, either to death or submission. It has 
inherited the bigotry of Judaism, and hoarded the 
acquisition with usm'ious care. 

Did the Jewish law demand a pecuniary atonement 
for what it denominated a sin of ignorance? And if 
Michael Servetus sinned in dissenting from the dog- 
mas of John Calvin, was it not purely the sin of ig- 
norance; and a mere, though fatal misfortune, that 
he was unable to appreciate the necessity and certain- 
ty of three coeternal, coequal, successively-begotten, 
indivisible, individually-personal, triune, only-almigh- 
ty God, who has, especially, fore-ordained whatever 
comes to pass; and that, therefore, man is predesti- 
nated to the character and events that shall pertain to 
him for, both, time and eternity; but that he shall, 
nevertheless, work out his own salvation, from a state 
of total depravity, to that of pure and persevering 
saintship; and all by the inevitable operation of the 
resistless grace of God? Yes; if Servetus sinned in 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 75 

disbelieving this farrago of contradictory nonsense, 
this Calvinistic platform of rottenness, contagion, de- 
lirium and death, was it not a very great improve- 
ment of Judaism, that he should himself be burned 
in atonement for his sin, or otherwise his misfortune, 
if ignorant? But Servetus is a single name of an in- 
terminable catalogue, written with the faggot or the 
dagger, in the life-blood of conscientious men, sacri- 
ficed upon the altar of theological superstition. And 
although its tusks and claws are less murderous now, 
than formerly, its thirst for blood is unassuaged: It 
growls incessantly at the thought, that fratricide has 
grown unfashionable; nor fails to emulate its worst 
ferocity, in the insidiousness and multiplicity of its 
persecutions. It slanders morality, unmuzzled by its 
absurdities, and repudiates truth, unpledged to its fic- 
titious purposes. It breathes, throughout this nomi- 
nally free Republic, a desolating sirocco, to which 
opinion must surrender in submission, or in suffoca- 
tion. It ought not to be so, especially at this late pe- 
riod of our history, when facilities for rational and 
useful learning, are so greatly multiplied, as almost to 
cheat mankind into an acquaintance with Nature's 
secrets, and a fascination of her charms. But Super- 
stition is neither poor in expedients, nor slack in 
stratagem. Nor has she ever been at all compunc- 
tious of means, that success has more than justified. 
It has been, nevertheless, so difficult for Pity to attain 
its objects, that moral corruption, and even perjury 
itself, have been sanctified in its holy enterprise. 
Strange, that God should be driven to such a strait. 



76 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

for means to propagate his own most sacred and mo- 
mentous truth: A truth, if truth at all, no less mo- 
mentous to Deity than man! Yes! Theology in- 
volves, as seriously, the beatitude of God, as the 
spiritual blessedness of his human creatures. The 
glory of God would seem to depend, for consumma- 
tion, upon the salvation of mankind; and its accom- 
plishment, therefore, upon the success of the salvato- 
ry institution, of which Jesus Christ is the reputed 
medium: So that wherever the Gospel proves unsuc- 
cessful, it affords an instance of derogation from His 
anticipated glory. How strange, we say again, that 
God should not have seasonably foreseen his own di- 
lemma, from his creature's sins! and stranger still, to 
hope for extrication, by such futile instruments as 
assume to be of his adoption ! Yet Theology consists 
of just such strangeness; and but for morality, to 
which it speculatively clings, as to a last and only 
hope, a single ray of truth would, long ago, have 
blighted its fictitious being, and expunged it from the 
catalogue of human fallacies. 



LECTURE III. 

ATHEISM AND THEISM DEFINED AND COMPARED. 

The treatment of our present subject, nor that ex- 
clusively, is intended to be characterized by the strict- 
est candor and courtesy, that its peculiar character 
will admit: And that facts, also, whenever they can 
be made available, shall be employed with entire im- 
partiality, without distortion or misrepresentation: 
And if hypothesis shall be, sometimes, unavoidable, 
as upon most of our occasions it doubtless will, its 
admission shall be upon that principle only; and 
whenever adopted, shall not only have undergone my 
own careful scrutiny, but will be exposed to that of 
the Public, to be adjudged by its comparative plausi- 
bility. 

I am well aware of the delicacy, not to say the 
danger, of my position with the orthodox community 
wherein I live; nor less so, of the disparity between, 
my personal effeminacy, and the gigantic burthen, I 
have assumed to carry. 

It is an adage of the olden time, that an ass loaded 
with gold can effect ,his entrance without difficulty. 



78 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

into the strongest city. But then, how boisterous the 
hue and cry, Suspicion would excite, against the un- 
welcome visitor, were his load mistaken for infection 
of the plague. Yes, although it should be transport- 
ed by Apis or a demigod. No matter whether it be 
fool or knave, that caters for our factitious pleasures; 
he is flattered and cherished, just so long as he cheer- 
fully ministers to our vanity and licentiousness. And 
though he were the literal adversary of human weal, 
whilst he should carefully humor our foibles, and 
good-naturedly assent to our fallacies, he may safely 
insinuate himself into our very vitals, and deliberate- 
ly gnaw himself out again, not merely with impunity, 
but with commendation. But let an angel, a demi- 
god, or a prodigy of human wisdom, suggest a fallacy 
in our present notions, or an evil in our present habits, 
he is taunted with his folly, or condemned for his im- 
pudence. His name is heretic, and he is denounced 
as a blasphemer. Persecution lays her leaden hand 
upon his enterprise, and Superstition fattens upon 
the spoil. His life is verily a prologue to that spirit- 
ual perdition, to which Bigotry has triumphantly as- 
signed him. 

Atheism is a term derived from the Greek, and 
means, in its strict interpretation, without God. Its 
more general and later acceptation has been however, 
without a belief of God — and more recently, a direct 
denial of the existence of God. Admitting that 
mankind have almost always, and almost everywhere, 
believed in the existence of a God, and mostly in a 
multiplicity of them, it must strike the superficial ob- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 79 

server with a good deal of surprise, that there should 
be a single atheist in the world, unless he were either 
an idiot or a lunatic. And this, in its only proper ac- 
ceptation, is most emphatically true : For whoever 
has sufficient intellect, to contemplate the simplest 
relations of cause and effect, cannot, in any rational 
interpretation of the epithet, be denominated an athe- 
ist: He will have acquired a belief of either theism 
or polytheism — of one God, or of many gods. The 
states of natural, and social, infancy, therefore, must 
be allowed to be most congenial with old fashioned 
atheism; unless it shall be satisfactorily ascertained, 
that the idea of God is instinctive, or connate; and, 
consequently, not acquired by reflection^ or induction. 

Since it is undeniable, that the idea of a God was 
early excited, and has almost universally prevailed 
among mankind, even to the present time, the first 
question to be interpreted is, whence and wherefore 
has such an idea occurred? 

That the idea of God is not intuitive, instinctive, 
or possessed at birth, appears to be more than proba- 
ble, from the consideration, that children appear never 
to have acquired it, except in the ordinary course of 
infantile education; and of which they demand the 
same particular explanation, as of any other subject 
of human inquiry. It is, therefore, a plausible hy- 
pothesis, that this idea was originally the product of 
reflection; and, when fairly analyzed, will be found 
to be identical with undefinable causality. And there 
seems to be no other possible method of solving the 
problem, whence and wherefore, the idea of a God, 



80 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

whether supreme or subordinate; ultimate causality 
being identical with the former, and indefinite, secon- 
dary causality with the latter. 

So entirely inadequate is human apprehension to 
trace the principle of causality to its ultimatum, that, 
upon many subjects, the profoundest philosophy is 
but a single step in advance of piimitive barbarism. 
And the following is offered, in explication of our 
proposition. 

The eye of a savage lights upon a watch, that cas- 
ualty has dropped in his path: He views it with a 
suspicion, and approaches it with a cautiousness pe- 
culiar to his race: He ventures not to touch it; but, 
with a stick some yard in length, he moves it to and 
fro, until he perceives it to have neither teeth nor 
claws. He ventures then, though warily, to touch it 
with a finger — then with another; and finally to take 
it from the ground, as a most wonderful living speci- 
men of creative power, whose origin, he most de- 
voutly and reverently, refers to Manatou, or him who 
made the Indian. Here the philosopher smiles, con- 
temptuously, in his cultivated egotism, at the childish 
simplicity of this native forester, who sees, or thinks 
he sees, a God, in human mechanism; and, in boast- 
ful confidence, exclaims, that he can trace this very 
watch to man's contrivance, and the manipulation of 
human fingers. But ask him how contrivance and 
those fingers came. — How humbled is his pride of 
learning, when he finds himself, so soon, obliged to 
ape the savage in his answer! A single step has 
found him kneeling to the Indian's Manatou, by the 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS, 81 

/ 

name of God, in shuffling apology for his own imbe- 
cility. In this example, we discover not only the 
slight difference between the lowest barbarism and 
the highest cultivation; but that the idea of God is 
the same, with the whole human race, and identical 
with supposed ultimate causality. For we see that, 
because the savage was ignorant of the degree of hu- 
man ingenuity, required for the construction of a 
watch, he referred it to the same power, or princi- 
ple of causation, that produced himself— that is, one 
of which he was totally ignorant. And although the 
philosopher escapes the absurdity of expending his 
veneration upon a human mechanic, under the idea 
of God; what more does he know of the origin of 
man, than the savage, viz., that he must have been 
the product of some antecedent cause; which cause 
however seems to be altogether beyond the precinct 
of human scrutiny; and hence his veneration is at 
length, like that of the savage, expended upon un- 
known causality. It seems therefore plausible, at 
least, that the idea of God the creator is identical 
with that of ultimate causality, by whatever epithet 
it may have been distinguished; and is the only theo- 
logical one, in which all mankind, both savage and 
civilized, ignorant and learned, have been found, 
unanimously, to agree. For it is undeniable, that 
the attributes appropriated to this God, by different 
persons and nations, have been as various and disso- 
nant, as have been the states of human science, mor- 
als and opinion: And like every other department of 
intellectual enterprise, have been progressively modi- 

10 



82 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

tied, as society has emerged from the slough of prim- 
itive barbarism. 

The idea of ultimate causality, or of an unknown 
cause, preceding the last known phenomenon, in any 
continuous course of reflection, upon natural rela- 
tionship, can not be evaded; and being identical with 
that of creative omnipotence, must, consequently, be 
as universal as the ability to reflect: And since it was, 
a long time ago, clearly discovered that philosophy 
increases the distance between mediate and ultimate 
causality, by multiplying the particulars of the for- 
mer, it is not surprising, that superstitionists shall 
have, for a series of past generations, almost unani- 
mously, decried what they have denominated human 
learning, as tending to divert the attention from ulti- 
mate to mediate causation; or, in other words, divert- 
ing it from the creator to the creature, and thereby 
lessening the piety, believed to be indispensable to 
spiritual salvation. 

Our apprehension of God is precisely the same as 
that of materiality : And certainly very few persons 
have been ever found, who have seriously denied the 
existence of the latter. Wherefore then, it may well 
be asked, has atheism obtained a name and a charac- 
ter among the fallacies of mankind? 

The evidences in support of God, and of matter- 
when fairly examined, will be found of exactly the 
same import; and therefore of equal validity, in aid 
of both propositions. And whilst an indefinite diver- 
sity of natural phenomena, denominated creations 
(more appropriately formations) demonstrates the 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 83 

existence of the former, or of God; those physical 
qualities, that stimulate our senses, and modify our 
consciousness, as clearly testify to that of the latter. 

It is evident, therefore, that we deduce a creator, 
from the creations, or existences, that surround us; 
and not from any innate or instinctive idea of such a 
character. We acquire the idea of God, also, in the 
same manner as we do that of Nature, viz., by an 
irresistible recognition of what are denominated its 
qualities or attributes: And although we know noth- 
ing of either, intrinsically, it would, notwithstanding, 
be no less absurd to deny their existence than our 
own. 

Ultimate causality, alias God, therefore, as the 
primitive agent, in the production of Nature's phe- 
nomena, and Materiality as affording a substratum 
for their support, are equally incomprehensible and 
incontrovertible. But it is nevertheless equally true, 
that notwithstanding the conclusion is unavoidable, 
that both God and matter do exist, that existence, so 
far as human apprehension is concerned, is a mere 
logical deduction — an abstract metaphysical conclu- 
sion, arising exclusively from a recognition of those 
phenomena, which they are severally believed, but 
not known, to produce. 

We acquire the ideas of figure, color, extension, 
resistance, motion and rest, which we denominate the 
properties and states of a supposed substratum, or 
predicate, of which the world is ready to declare, it 
positively knows its existence, as substance or matter; 
of which however, we have no other idea, than that 



84 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

of the necessity of such an existence. Nor have we 
any appropriate language, with which to describe ul- 
timate principles and atoms, which, as I have already 
said, are simple metaphysical deductions, which it is 
equally impossible we shall ever be able to under- 
stand or disbelieve. 

That God, or Deity is synonymous with principle 
or attribute, inherent in, and coeternal with, matter, 
and identical with ultimate causality, seems to be 
most effectually sustained by the following reflections. 

Were God an ultra, or supermundane agent, who 
cogitated, with infinite perfection, and executed with 
infallible precision, the various principles and phe- 
nomena of Nature, it is clear, that the system of op- 
erations, once instituted, would inevitably proceed, 
during its destined period, with undeviating exact- 
itude; nor need a God to w T atch or modify its pro- 
gress. In this view of the subject, a God is undenia- 
bly nugatory. Not so whenever the name of God is 
used as synonymous with ultimate causality, which 
is a principle inherent in matter, and indispensable to 
the development and prosecution of its phenomena: 
For otherwise existence would be without an object, 
or the possibility of a change. Silence and stillness, 
or unvaried monotomy, would characterize a nugato- 
ry world; and God would be the only spectator of his 
own fatuity! 

Every circumstance, or change in Nature, howev- 
er magnificent or minute, depends upon ultimate cau- 
sality for its existence. And however long or com- 
plicated shall be the chain of productive circumstan- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 85 

cesj it must have originated in, and been sustained by 
it. Therefore, while an extra-mundane God must 
be an idle spectator of the phenomena, his eternal 
decree has infallibly ordained, ultimate causality 
must enter into the constitution of every event; and 
can never be dispensed with, while consequences re- 
main dependent upon antecedent causation. We 
might as well expect to see figure without substance; 
or meet resistance in a vacuum, as that change would 
occur independently of the agency of this ultimate 
principle, which theists denominate God. Hence, it 
would seem to be one of the clearest propositions in 
nature, that atheist is an unmeaning epithet, when 
applied to an inhabitant of Christendom, in the pos- 
session of common sense, and common cultivation; 
and that he, who thinks himself such, is altogether 
mistaken in his man, according to any interpretation 
which cultivated reason, of the present time, would 
deign to sanction. And yet, the world believes it has 
abundant, just occasion for the use of such an epi- 
thet. The question, therefore, is, Whence came this 
great, and almost universal error, amongst mankind? 
Doubtless, in the personification of causality, and in 
the fictitious and diverse characteristics, or attributes 
with which it has been clothed. 

Judaism is particularly unfortunate, in the charac- 
ter of its deity, which it endows with the frailties of 
humanity, without its common sense: And in order 
to redeem my pledge of candor and impartiality, I 
feel myself obliged to present you with a few Biblical 
quotations in corroboration of the truth of my remark. 



86 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

Did God, subsequently to his entire creation, de- 
clare, as in Gen. 1. 31, That every thing he had made 
was very good; and this in a culpable forgetfulness of 
the diabolical wiles of the serpent, which were, so 
soon, to pervert the ordinances of omnipotence , and 
write eternal damnation as the epilogue of human 
tragedy? For, if the history of the fall is true, the 
seduction and its consequences, were within the 
knowledge of omniscience, and therefore at the latch- 
es of the almighty. 

And here, we find some striking lineaments of a 
most strange, and inconsistent Jewish God. 

If those peculiar vegetables, denominated the trees 
of life, and of the knowledge of good and evil, were 
the products of a general creative principle, it ap- 
pears somewhat strange, that they should not have 
been somewhere else produced, where soil and cli- 
mate were no less genial. And if not thus generated, 
it seems that they, or at least the latter, must have 
been especially ordained for the ruinous catastrophe 
to which it so eminently contributed. And if God 
foreordained whatever comes to pass, he cannot es- 
cape the implication of having instituted the whole 
process of seduction, and that apparently for no 
more commendable an object, than to create a plausi- 
ble but ficticious reason for the painful indulgence of 
almighty and eternal vindictiveness. 

Did the eating the forbidden fruit, so miraculously 
improve the apprehension of our first parents, that 
they mutually blushed at the conscious immodesty of 
exposing their nakedness to each other; and was this 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 87 

important trial of character omitted in their children's 
inheritance, whilst the penalty of disobedience was 
faithfully transmitted ? And is it fairly deducibie, 
from this account, that but for the transgression, man 
must have forever remained in the imbecility and vul- 
gar nudity of the beast, and hence acquired his supe- 
riority at the expense of eternal damnation ? 

The story of the fall leaves no doubt, that primi- 
tive man was well endowed with animal propensities, 
without which he would indeed have been the per- 
sonification of absurdity itself, and with them the un- 
fortunate subject of the most fatal seduction. 

Did God endow mankind with U»*r propensities, be- 
cause they were indispensable to his enterprise, and 
yet mistake their tendency to mischievous excess ? 
Or did he mean, that reason should be competent to 
their judicious exercise, and yet mistake the quanti- 
ty required j and therefore start, like one surprised 
at man's unrightousness ; and grieve, repent, and 
then malevolently condemn those creatures, for whom 
all else w T as made, and whence his godship was re- 
flected, to the sateless burnings of an endless hell ? 

Why does not this veracious and exact historic 
record inform us, how long this garden with its pe- 
culiar products preserved its being and its character, 
after the expulsion of the human pair ; and how long 
its dangerous enclosure was miraculously secured ? 
Suppose, for so we may, that those delinquents had 
partaken of the other fruit, while God had left it at 
their option, and, most strangely, unprohibited. — In 
what sad dilemma would Jehovah and mankind been 



88 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

placed ? An immortal race of procreative, eating 
animals, threatening an accumulation, at some future 
period, that space could not accommodate, and for 
whom the earth, were it digestible, would fail to f / 
make a meal. What almighty power and cunning 
would have been, ere this, required, to make provis- 
ion, of both room and sustenance, for such a race, my 
algebra will fail to calculate. And do you think the 
notion of a deathless, eating and prolific race of ani- 
mals, so plausible as to have been adopted by omnis- 
ciency, or executed by omnipotence ? Or, of the 
tragedy of the fall, do you not think it passing strange, 
that what of undeveloped mischief, almighty presci- 
ence must have seen, omnipotence should have failed 
to obviate ; unless it shall have happened before the 
attribute of goodness shall have entered the triune 
partnership. 

" And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his 
offering : But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had 
no respect." Now, this conduct of God, towards 
these two individuals, were it of a parent to his chil- 
dren, would be a subject of the severest reprehension. 
Wherefore, then, has Inspiration withheld from us 
the reasons for its justification ; and thus exposed 
mankind to the hazardous liability of distrusting the 
justice and impartiality of his maker, or the truth 
of inspiration ? "Was Cain acquainted with the na- 
ture, and the crime, of fratricide ? And whence was 
such acquaintance formed ? — Or if otherwise, did a 
God of justice set the first example of retrospective 
legislation, the veriest shame to human tyrants ; of 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 89 

visit with a merciless retribution, an act, not yet pro- 
hibited, nor criminally defined ? 

Again we read, " And God saw that the wicked- 
ness of man was great in the earth ; and that every 
imagination of his heart was only evil continually. 
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on 
the earth ; and it grieved him at his heart." And 
here I pledge myself, that you shall be pardoned the 
heresy, of asking whether the language of this quota- 
tion is most appropriate to Gocl, or man, whatever 
penalty shall be awarded to the impiousness of my 
reply. 

Should God's prescience, or foreknowledge be con- 
templated as a constituent of his own eternal, uncrea- 
ted self ? Then, no fact pertaining to the history 
of man, or Nature, can have been new to such a 
character. And, if God saw from eternity, the griev- 
ous wickedness, his human creatures would volun- 
tarily, and therefore inevitably, commit; nor believed 
His own omnipotence was able to restrain it; what a 
wretched life of penitence and grief, God's first eterni- 
ty mnst have been ? For, with God the occurrence 
of the evil could not have aggravated the misery of 
its contemplation. Again, we ask, did God commit 
so strange an oversight, in arranging his affairs, as 
to endow his human creatures with power to thwart 
his own designs — to mar his bliss, and also damn 
themselves to endless misery — and meanwhile sit in 
endless, penitential, mournful contemplation of His 
own unfortunate improvidence, or imbecility ? Did 
God endow mankind with freedom of both will and 

II 



90 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

action; and, at the same time, know how perversely 
they would use it ? Then, by the rules of human judg- 
ment, He was either impotent, or malicious : For man , 
apparently, were better not to be, than to be the sub- 
ject of interminable perdition: And, therefore, God 
should have left him uncreated, or have been more 
provident of his welfare ! — "And it grieved him (God.) 
at his heart." And is this expression applicable to aGod, 
the omnipotent, and omnipervasive, principle of life, 
activity and transformation throughout the universe: 
or, as Judaism would have it, to a heartless, bigoted, 
partial, malicious, revengeful, relentless, extermina- 
ting impersonation of inconsistency itself. Or is it 
not, in truth, an expression of mere humanity, speak- 
ing ignorantly of itself, and referring to the heart, 
what belongs^ exclusively to the head ? 

The deluge next presents itself, as a competent and 
unimpeachable witness to the inconsistency and imbe- 
cility of the Jewish God ; to whom the following in- 
quiries might have been presented with no bad grace : 
Or perhaps, with more propriety, to the writer of the 
fabulous nonsense. 

And did Omnisciency misapprehend, 

How ill its projects must thereafter end ? 

Did God, at man's depravity awake, 

Too late to remedy the sad mistake, 

Of having made him, as he should not be — 

Not demi-God, but demi-devil he ? 

And, therefore, form a project quite too odd, 

For any other, than a Jewish, God ; 

Namely, the diluvian expedient, 

Without a plausible ingredient, 

With which to work a thorough reformation,, 

Of the entire, degenerate creation— 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 91 



Accepting Noah, as security, 

For his successor's moral purity ; 

Which seems a project altogether strange, 

For any being, not yet quite deranged : 

Nor could another hope, from such foul seed 

To reproduce a renovated breed : 

Didst thou compute the water as it stood ; 

And cube the five-mile, superficial flood ? 

Or cast, how much the mass of water weighed > 

Or how Miss Luna, in ber orb was stayed ? 

For sceptics are disposed to make a fuss, 

As though her highness would have called on us — 

And further say, nor, seemingly, in fun, 

That Earth and Moon, must both, at once, have run, 

A more than Gilpin-journey, to the Sun. 

Didst thou see, clearly, where the stock was laid, 

Of which this universal sea was made ? 

Was it produced in vapor, from the earth, 

Whilst Oceans were unequal to its birth? 

And were months used to bring" the thing about ^ 

Seas must have risen, in form of water-spout ! 

And were it, thus far, marvelously done, 

The work of miracles was but begun ! 

Since ten thousand years, at the common rate, 

Were scanty, for it to evaporate ; 

And time, itself, would scarcely fit the soil., 

To recompense the ploughman for his toil ! 

And were the flood no higher than the hill, 

Upon whose top, the Ark, at length, stood still, 

Four thousond years would scarcely dry the plain. 

That trees and herbage might appear again. 

Hence, to have dried it expeditiously, 

Earth's heat must have been raised prodigiously — 

So high indeed, that gods might be supplied, 

With steaming chowder from the boiling tide ; 

And, if the gods have hearts, it would not do, 

That they should not have food and entrails too : 

And were the water, as it may be said, 

Especially, for this occasion made — 

Say, whence the elements, of which 'twas wrought : 

Or what the neighboring planet, whence 'twas brought 

And then, how much almighty pow'r 'twould cost, 

To right again, the system's balance lost ! 

Kor seems a work, with more vexation fraught. 



92 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

Except to make a universe of naught, 
Than to unmake that world of surplus rain, 
Which else must have involved the earth again : 
And were there gods, whom mankind could abuse, 
By any terms of slander, he Gould use — 
How base the sacrilege, to charge a plan 
So fatuous, on any thing but man! — 

Or, if you would have it said in vulgar prose — Did 
God foresee, ere man was made, the strange prepos- 
terous character he would sustain — the mad devotion 
he would pay to passion and licentiousness — the deep 
corruption of a perverted mind, and the voluntary 
wickedness he would perpetrate; nor yet, revoke, nor 
modify, a plan so palpably defective? Or did he 
sleep so soundly, those, more than, sixteen hundred 
years, from the creation, to the flood, that the whole 
world's joint, boisterous blasphemy awaked him. only, 
when human wickedness was so incorrigible, that his 
own omnipotence was unable to reform it? And did 
he, therefore, as the only, or most feasible, expedi- 
ent, decree the total extermination of the race ? A 
project, you must all acknowledge would have been, 
especially, successful, had he punctiliously pursued it ! 
But that it seems he did not do ! And do you really 
believe an all-wise God could have been so improvi- 
dent, as to expect to regenerate mankind, by making 
drunken Noah their progenitor? Was it like a God 
to fail in his mechanical design?— Or having failed, 
to destroy the labor of his hands, in childish petu- 
lance, in order to allay his own heart's grief? And is 
this to be received as a specimen of God's almighty 
triple infinitude? Was the project of the Flood, that 
involved a course of countless miracles, of which the 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 93 

least was tantamount to original creation, verily, the 
suggestion of that unearthly Logos, that planned the 
system of both temporal and eternal things? And 
was it not the inevitable consequence of the sweeping 
agitations — the lacerating and disorganizing concuss- 
ions — the suffocative pressure, and atmospheric exclu- 
sion, attendant upon the deluge, that vegetable, as 
well as animal, life must have been universally ex- 
tinguished? And how were fish of countless species, 
saved from being overwhelmed, destroyed and deeply 
buried amidst the avalanches of upland rocks and 
trees and soil, the myriads of newborn cataracts must 
have driven, madly, oceanward? Do you think it 
probable, that fish and vegetables, which seem to have 
been uncared for, were really able to withstand a 
shock, that, without the aid of countless miracles, 
must inevitably have been the world's catastrophe? 
And would you not severely chide your wild imagi- 
nation that should see, in retrospect, the diluvian pa- 
triarch, as he may have stood upon the then youthful 
brow of the long-since venerable and snow-capped 
Ararat, (where one seems to see that unique water- 
craft of primeval time, entombed beneath accumula- 
ting frosts of more than forty centuries) and in fear- 
ful sadness, look around him, upon the utter desola- 
tion of all of life and hope, that once had been; when 
lo! from where had lately swept the besom of de- 
struction, and earth itself but just unwrapped of one 
continuous ocean, there shall have come forth, a 
feathered witness, to cheer the little household, with 
the gladsome tidings, that the lately ruined earth was 



84 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

now itself again, and already green, with renovated 
herbage. 

And this diluvian fallacy, together with the fabu- 
lous childish nonsense of the Fall, is seriously, and 
even coercively, urged upon the people of philosophic 
Christendom, in this forty-third year of the nineteenth 
eentury, as though it were the very genius of Inspi- 
ration, rehearsing the revelations of Almighty God. 
And with whom there rests a doubt of its divinity, 
there also rests the undivided curse of Spiritualism? 

And yet, the question urges itself again, and again, 
upon human consideration, whether God did really 
repent and gvieve at his heart, like a disappointed in- 
fant, for what omniscience did not foresee, or omnip- 
otence could not prevent? 

Or whether it was not Jehovah's plan, 
To stultify, or curse, the race of man? 
And, lest he should relent, assumed an oath, 
He kept so well, as to accomplish both! 

And do you feel assured, that Noah's fabled ark 
was adequate to the object, for which it is said to 
have been constructed? And have you carefully ex- 
amined all the circumstances involved therein, and 
found them clearly to corroborate the probability of 
that event? If so, you are much more fortunate, in 
these particulars, than your humble servant, who has, 
never yet, been fully able to reconcile, with his poor 
dividend of intellect, all the apparent difficulties pre- 
sented in the case. And yet religious Faith descries 
innumerous things, as clearly, as shines' the cloudless 
sun at noon-day, that impious Reason, with all her 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 95 

artificial aids, as vainly looks for, as for courtesy from 
a bigot. Have you not already learned, from fre- 
quent, pulpit specimens, how entirely abortive are 
Reason's efforts in behalf of Faith? Nor is the case 
susceptible of amendment, whilst their vocations are 
less alike than cash and credit! 

Allow me to present you with a single specimen of 
the imbecility of Reason, in its unnatural association 
with Faith; and in what hopeless predicament that 
subject must be, that relies upon no better arguments 
in its favor, than 1 have sometimes heard from the 
pulpit, upon the question of the deluge. Yes, I have 
heard a reverend advocate for the Bible's literality 
and truth, contest the doubts of Scepticism, with zeal 
enough to frighten Reason from the sanctuary; and, 
in conclusion of a labored argument of sounds and 
attitudes, in proof of written revelation, declare, em- 
phatically, "that Noah's ark had room enough for all 
it was intended to preserve; at least for all with 
which mankind were then acquainted." Alas ! that God 
should be obliged to leave his work to be accomplished 
by such infirmity ! And do you think that Reason 
would ever risk herself again with such an incompe- 
tent interpreter? Or insanely blast her honor, to aid 
the credit of a fiction? A sacrifice, in either case, too 
wanton to justify a serious suspicion. 

Considering the peculiar embarrassments of time 
and circumstances, it would really seem to have been 
rather an extraordinary undertaking, for a single indi- 
vidual, or even a single family, to construct, in the 
very teeth of a jeering and opposing Incredulity, that 



96 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

mammoth world-preservative, within the time allotted 
by Biblical Chronologists. 

Ere log-canoes, or bulrush substitutes, were invent- 
ed, a Nation's genius, and a Nation's wealth would 
have been scarcely adequate to such an enterprise. 
And yet I will not pronounce the thing impossible; 
but, rather than risk my teeth with so unchewable a 
mouthful, will put my capacious gullet into requisi- 
tion, and swallow it at once. But there are other 
particulars, which are not, so conveniently, to be dis- 
posed of; being, not only, too tough to chaw, but, 
palpably, too gross to swallow. But admitting Noah 
to have been either the butt of ridicule for his appa- 
rent simplicity, or an object of pity, for his supposed 
lunacy, throwing him entirely npon his individual re- 
sources, for the accomplishment of his magnificent 
undertaking; and that he, nevertheless, succeeded, 
and that, too, within the apparently inadequate period 
of the year two thousand three hundred and forty- 
nine before Christ; and that it was also fully adequate 
to its design; however heavy their demand upon our 
credulity, are altogether the most plausible particulars 
of this preposterous narrative. 

Do you think it within the range of the strangest 
probability, that, in the short period of seven days, 
allowed to Noah for freighting his vessel, seventy 
thousand living creatures were actually and simulta- 
neously collected from their peculiar and indefinitely 
diversified locations and climates — from every point 
of compass, and every habitable portion of the earth's 
geographical surface, together with their appropriate 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 97 

nourishment, which could not have been less than ten 
times their own bulk, or even their own weight; 
amounting, in the aggregate to an equivalent of seven 
hundred and seventy thousand such animals, ten of 
which only., viz., the mastadon, elephant, rhinoceros, 
hippopotamus and elk, would have required, at least, 
one hundred and ninety tons of vegetable food; a lit- 
tle less than an ordinary ship load, and, in the com- 
mon, farming way of packing, would have rilled five 
common barns: And in this way of proceeding, we 
shall soon have appropriated the whole of Noah's 
mammoth vessel. 

Have you ever thought, how very odd it must have 
seemed, to see so many thousands of dissimilar ani- 
mals, spontaneously emigrating from country and 
kindred; and contrary to every impulse of instinct 
and habit, compassing, by one universal miracle, 
trackless, and almost immeasurable distances of des- 
ert land and ocean, to form the least congenial con- 
gregation, insanity could have dreamed of; and also 
each, since any other mode seems quite impossible, 
voluntarily transporting ten times its weight of that 
peculiar nourishment, its adopted country would not 
afford, nor yet an answerable substitute? And since 
it seems to be a law, amongst the carniverous tribes, 
that each inferior species, successively, shall become 
the sustenance of its superior, how odd, to see each 
several, single pair or septenary, group, (for birds, 
however carniverous and foul were no less cared for, 
than delicious poultry, and therefore saved in septen- 
ary pairs,) how odd, I say, to see them each, and all, 

12 



98 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS* 

attended by their appropriate, nutrient herds, and 
flocks, and swarms of living creatures, most unnatu- 
rally and marvelously anxious to be eaten ! 

Omitting to notice any of the thousand, specific pe- 
culiarities, by which animal existence must have been 
distinguished, in the different climates and localities 
of Asia and Africa; and the apparent inconveniences 
attending their sudden congregation at a single point 
in ancient Armenia, there are, still, innumerable cir- 
cumstances, with which my incredulity is querulously 
at issue; of which however, an instance or two must 
suffice our present purpose. 

Among the many kinds of animals peculiar to 
South America, which must have been included in the 
diluvian, salvatory project, however difficultly accom- 
plished, there are four species of Ant-eaters: Hence 
we may reasonably contemplate eight of them, ac- 
companied by countless millions of those diminutive 
insects, for whose destruction P. M. Roget & Co. 
would declare these animals were intentionally and 
especially created; and these also attended by their 
multiplied myriads of aphides or vine-fretters, no less 
indispensable to their own necessities: For it would 
be preposterous to pretend that Noah, in addition to 
all his other perplexities, should have been obliged to 
hunt up ant's nests enough to provision these eight 
gormandizers, for the period of a full year after their 
arrival in Armenia! And, in order to strengthen the 
probability of the principal event, we may also ima- 
gine those insectiverous myrmecophaga, with their in- 
calculably numerous attendant insects, most provi- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS, 99 

tlently pioneered, in their seven days excursion of 
more than six thousand miles, by their enterprising, 
sprightly compatriot, the Sloth; of which it is said, 
that he is so deliberate in his progressive expeditions, 
as, having become fattened upon one forest tree, to 
be reduced to the last state of emaciation, while trav- 
eling to the next one, though but a few yards distant 
Nor would the Dodo, of the Isle of France, the literal 
impersonation of deformity and inactivity, be an un- 
apt commissary in such an anomulous enterprise ! In 
what condition do you think the Boa, Crocadile, Sloth, 
Ape, Lion, Elephant andjOstrich, from the hottest cli- 
mates, would have been found, at the end of this 
strange catastrophe, and at a point of elevation 
marked by perpetual frost? And do you deem it a 
plausible suggestion, that the White-bear would spon- 
taneously prosecute a journey, from Greenland, to 
the interior of Asia, when he pants in the sunshine of 
his own polar zero; thus, not only, to be broiled in 
the plains of the Frat or the Kur, but to starve for 
lack of fresh fish and seals, which the deluge must 
have rendered it particularly difficult to obtain. The 
Argos-pheasant, also, must have been somewhat diffi- 
cultly sustained, upon so long a voyage, unless its 
character has been misrepresented: For it is said of 
it, that it cannot be kept alive beyond a single month, 
in a state of bondage. 

Suppose, however, all these, and a thousand other 
apparently impossible events to have really occurred; 
and the ark, not only, to have been built, but fully 
freighted, consonantly with its reputed purpose; and 

LofC. 



100 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

all that heterogeneous congregation quietly nibbling 
its several rations, in strange, promiscuous harmony — 
it still remains a problem of most unfeasible solution, 
how Noah, with his undisciplined and scanty help, 
could have safely navigated such an unwieldly enor- 
mity, in such a limitless, dark and boisterous ocean, 
without rudder, anchor, star or compass, nor yet, 
have failed to end his anomalous and erratic voyage, 
within the limits of his own Armenia, But may be, 
you are ready to retort, that God was Noah's pilot; 
and hence the safety of the ship, and prosperity of 
the issue! Then, in my opinion^ God has been much 
more ingenious and successful in his nautical, than 
spiritual, affairs!— a much better mariner, than meta- 
physician or legislator; or both Jews and Christians 
have slanderously misrepresented Him! And again; 
though theological credulity shall be able to reconcile 
these preposterous circumstances, to its peculiar stand- 
ard of consistency, it would seem that, were it not 
early and constantly disciplined in swallowing absurd- 
ities by the volume, it would find itself, not a little, 
perplexed with the state of affairs, inevitably conse- 
quent upon the deluge. It must have required much 
more than a mimic miracle, to produce a sudden crop 
of luxuriant verdure from out the mud and rock, the 
flood, so lately, had abandoned — a state, in which the 
earth could have been, scarcely, more prolific, than 
when it first emerged from a primeval chaos! And 
Theology, as we have seen, at length admits an epoch, 
of at least a thousand years, to have been expended 
upon the earth's first, verdant mantle, ere insects, 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 101 

beasts and birds, the product of such an other epoch, 
were sent to nestle in its folds: Nor terminates the 
difficulty here! — For, admitting vegetable luxuriance 
to have, miraculously, succeeded the deluge, there 
yet remains the perplexing consideration, that a great 
proportion of Noah's omnigenous congregation was 
carniverous; and therefore, in the absence of another, 
no less miraculous creation, than that wherein the life 
of animals originated, these imprisoned, fleshly feed- 
ers must have been turned adrift, with the improvi- 
dent and evil chance of eating one another — ending 
thus the catastrophe of the fable ! And yet, the most 
surprising miracle of all is unrecounted; viz., that 
God should not have saved himself so unnatural and 
perplexing an administration of his own affairs, as, 
by a single miracle, to have aided our first progeni- 
tors, in a successful resistance of the devil; nor left 
them to become, by disobedience, so exactly like 
himself— and that at such an awful hazard! 

I have thus presented you with an inconsiderable 
fraction of the evidence of inconsistency in the char- 
acter of the Jewish God, as contained in his own reve- 
lation of himself. And if more is required, in order 
to complete any undecided conviction, a general refer- 
ence may be made to the entire pentateuch, wherein 
the greatest follies and the blackest crimes are abet- 
ted and enjoined by this personification of the genius 
of superstition. And should men be stigmatized as 
atheists, and thrust without the pale of civil privilege, 
and protection, because their faith but darkly sees the 
worth of such a character: or their reason has broke 



102 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

loose from traditionary leading-strings, and claimed 
its fight of supervisorship ? The Indian's Manatau, 
without a doubt, deserves as much respect as this of 
Israel, or as any other extra-mundane fiction called 
a God, or by any other name, that men have chosen 
for their ignorance of causation ! 

Of an extra-mundane God, of whom it has been al- 
ready said, that he would be inevitably as useless as 
a marble statue, in superintending the phenomena of 
the world, the following additional remark may not 
be unacceptable, as an illustration. 

Let me refer you to that primitive, ideal state of 
things, when universal chaos reigned. — When God's 
omniscience planned a Universe unlimited; and his 
omnipotency spoke it into being. — When his single 
contemplation must have viewed infinity of circum- 
stance and space, throughout an interminably revol- 
ving series, as though all changes, to be thereafter 
wrought, were but as unity, in the present tense. — 
Nor could that contemplation be repeated, since noth- 
ing new could possibly occur, to call it into action. 
One effort also of omnipotence, must have been the 
alpha and omega of God's determination, since that 
must have set the world's machinery effectually and 
infallibly in motion ; and wherein it must resistlessly 
continue as long as he shall have decreed it ! Thus 
we see that such a God's creation must have com- 
menced and ended simultaneously, and not progressed 
by regular succession of time and circumstance ; 
And therefore, since he passed his first decree, he 
must have sat an idle and a passive looker on of all 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 103 

the world's innumerable and inevitable phenomena : 
Nor would his presence be one whit less nugatory, 
than that of him, who shall have made a clock, to 
measure out, with absolute precision, each moment of 
a hundred years, and that but with a single winding, 
and then should sit and count the motions of its pen- 
dulum. 

Would not the hands of such machine revolve as 
well, were he who wrought them dead, as though he 
lived to watch the progress of their uniform and per- 
fect revolutions ? — And if thus — wherefore should 
doubt, or disbelief, of such a character be bandied, 
except from fool to fool, as sinfulness or reproach r 
What but Bigotry, or Lunacy would deem it blasphe- 
mous to say, that such a God, whether of Gentile, 
Jew, or Christian, is not more useful than a man of 
straw ; nor more deserving of human veneration ? 

But then you say, perhaps, that intelligence must 
have been employed, in arranging the materials of 
this complicated physical Universe, and the phenome- 
na, they specifically and relatively present. Intelli- 
gence, therefore, becomes the subject of present and 
particular inquiry ; and is, without a doubt, as far 
as ordinary humanity is able to distinguish, exclusive- 
ly, an atribute of an organized, living sentient being, 
in possession of a brain and nervous system, and 
consists in a more or less clear perception of the phe- 
nomena of Nature, and the several relations existing 
among them : And hence the brain, and not the 
heart, should be contemplated, as the exclusive in- 
strument of mind, thought or soul ; and this, wheth- 



104 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

er consciousness result from organic functionality, or 
from a more or less successful effort of the soul to 
display itself, through the vulgar medium of physical 
organism. And, whatever the mode of operation, it 
is already the settled opinion of all educated persons, 
that the better developed, the more healthy, and the 
better disciplined and sustained, is this cranial or 
psychological machinery, the clearer, and more ele- 
vated, is the intellectual product or functional intel- 
ligence, it displays. 

In these respects, thought and locomotion possess 
a parallel character, both being alike embarrassed by 
defective, or unhealthy, organism, or deficient, or ex- 
cessive exercise. 

The idea of thought existing abstractly from a brain, 
would be no less preposterous, than that of animal 
motion, unconnected with muscular developement. 
A brainless philosopher, and an agile skeleton would 
be equally strange phenomena. In fine, it appears to 
me quite impossible to conceive of mind, or soul, 
but as an attribute or function of organized, living, 
animal matter. And hence it follows, that deity, in 
order to posses the attribute of intelligence, should 
be also in possession of a brain, or some other appro- 
priate, physical organ, through which intelligence, 
mind, or soul, may be displayed, or by which it may 
be generated. It appears, therefore, incontrovertible, 
that the intelligence of God must be animal intelli- 
gence, or that, of which mankind can have no man- 
ner of conception: And hence the theist cannot es- 
cape the vexatious dilemma, that his God is clothed 






THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 105 

with human attributes, or with none at all, as far as 
he can apprehend. And do you think the former 
kind, which is scarcely adequate, at best, to the or- 
dinary exigences of temporal humanity, well befitting 
the creator and director of a world's affairs r Nor 
can the difficulty be at all obviated, by the vulgar, 
senseless expedient, of annexing the term, infinite, 
to this, or any other, imputed attribute of God. For 
this adjective, like the subject, it is so often used to 
qualify, however convenient, or indespensable, use 
may have rendered it, means neither more nor less, 
than an indefinite extension of its substantive, beyond 
the limits of human apprehension: And in every 
case in which it is used, it is exactly synonymous with 
an acknowledgement of total ignorance of what it is 
intended to express. Therefore, whoever speaks of 
wisdom, power and goodness, as attributes of God, 
whether qualified by the nugatory adjective, infinite, 
or not, is manufacturing a deity of the attributes of 
mere humanity. And here you will allow me to ask 
again,Who else but fool or lunatic would kneel in pious 
veneration, to so uncomely and so strange a vagary ? 

The difficulty upon this question seems to depend 
upon the fallacy of confounding an attribute of mere 
humanity, and one in no inconsiderable degree com- 
mon to men and beasts, denominated intelligence, 
with the adaptiveness or consistency of Nature, of 
which this same human intelligence is a constituent; 
man himself being a part of her physical system, and 
employed in the performance of her functions. 

And were I indulged a moment for recapitulation, 

13 



106 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

1 would express my own belief of God and, his intel- 
ligence, in the language of the following theorems. 

First. That the original idea of God is universally 
and unexceptionably the same, with all mankind, 
who are endowed with the ordinary powers and op- 
portunities of reflection; and that it is identical with 
that of inherent, primitive, or ultimate causality, and 
spontaneously engendered in the mind of every in- 
quirer after the causes of things. And thus, is the 
only plausible notion of atheism completely invalida- 
ted — no man being obnoxious to the epithet, who is 
able to contemplate the existence of an unknown 
cause: Upon which point, the savage and the sage 
are nearly equal competitors; both infallibly attaining 
their goal, but by different steps, and unequal des- 
patch. 

Second. That natural Theology affords no other 
evidence, or knowledge of Deity, than that of mere 
abstract existence, obtained by induction, whilst in- 
vestigating the relation of cause and effect. And that 
nothing more can ever be known upon the subject, 
except by the assistance of supernatural revelation. 

Third. That intelligence, as applied to God, is al- 
together void of meaning, or palpably slanderous of 
his imputed omnisciency; and cannot be theologically 
employed without the basest irreverence, or, the 
deepest stupidity. It would, nevertheless, be striking- 
]y absurd, to utter an explicit denial of the intelli- 
gence of God, or causality, which it is not man's 
province to determine; but it is his right to insist up- 
on the truth of the proposition, that human apprehea- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 107 

sion cannot, in any conceivable manner, apply itself 
to the subject of infinite wisdom, admitting such wis- 
dom to exist. Nor is it possible for mankind to ac- 
quire any definite idea of the existence of any other 
intelligence, affection, or propensity, than that which 
is displayed by living animals. Thus, are men stig- 
matized, as infidels and atheists, because they see 
and own their ignorance of all beyond the pale of 
time and things, and humbly yield, to God or Nature, 
the sole direction of superhuman incidents — Mean- 
while, the human egotist, who assumes to be famil- 
iar with the privacies of God, and with the undevel- 
oped circumstances of, perhaps, a ficticious future 
state of being; and who, both night and morning, im- 
pudently asks his God, to shape His providence, to 
his own immediate, particular occasions; or, at least 
reminds Him of the duty of looking carefully to His 
own affairs, is eulogized as a model of humanity; and 
as a very pink of piety and wisdom. Nor are vanity 
and impudence the only faults, that reason charges 
upon such pharisaic holiness. She hears them confi- 
dently reiterate the purest Gospel-precepts, as though 
they were themselves the Logos, whence they came; 
and, meanwhile, hourly contradict them by their base 
examples. — She also hears their daily, formal prayers, 
in which they ask their God to be a benefactor to the 
poor — to feed the hungry and clothe the naked; nor 
even dream that God has made them stewards of a 
bounty, He intended should be thus appropriated: 
And hence she tells her votaries, thac there is some- 
thing wrong, or rotten, in the system of theology. 



108 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

And for this, she and they are slandered and con- 
demned as miscreants, and fearful agents of the ad- 
versary, in the diabolical project of both temporal 
and eternal ruin: Nor has she ever ventured a com- 
ment upon its absurdities, even those, which itself 
has subsequently discarded, in shame for their very 
ugliness, but that superstition has, forthwith, perse- 
cuted her from Dan to Beersheba and back again; 
nor relaxed in her severities, until by tortures, and 
oaths of extermination, the exhausted and dishearten- 
ed heritic has been made to utter a heartless recanta- 
tion. 

Nor has the cry of heresy, blasphemy, infidelity 
and atheism, ever failed to be raised against the vota- 
ries of Reason, who have dared to inculcate her sug- 
gestions of the deformities of Popery, and even of 
Judaism itself; nor have its echoes ceased, wherever 
Superstition has set its cloven hoof, since Seth and 
Enos, lucklessly, mistook causation for a God: But 
even here, in this focus of discordant spiritualism, or, 
as discourtesy might say, this menagere of biped ani- 
mals, where precept and example are hot at logger- 
heads, and vociferously bandying the lie, in each 
other's teeth, Superstition is already getting hoarse 
with brawling of its danger and its infallibility. 

Thus you see I have thrown the gauntlet to Juda- 
ism, and the superstitions of Christianity; nor intend 
ever to resume it, whilst I retain the power to wield 
either tongue or pen, in what I deem a most holy, 
contest — a contest of Reason and Truth and Amity, 
against Lunacy, Error and murderous Dissension. 

But lest I should be mistaken for a disorganizer — 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 109 

a civil and moral nuisance — an abettor of crime, and 
an advocate of licentiousness, I must beg your atten- 
tion to the following avowal. 

I hold to equal, and mutual rights, privileges, and 
responsibilities, among all persons, of all countries, 
and of all colors; and that it is the especial duty of 
each individual in every community, to act conscien- 
tiously, or in accordance with the suggestions of rea- 
son, uninfluenced by personal considerations, by preju- 
dice or partiality — or by the fear of consequences, to 
persons or characters; and, meanwhile, aim to make 
the greatest possible contributions to the common 
stock of human happiness. 

I hold that the moral precepts of the New Testa- 
ment should be adopted, as the standard of rectitude 
among mankind, until an unquestionably better sys- 
tem shall have been obtained. And that the Gospel 
can never become seriously objectionable, until its 
precepts shall have been surpassed by the excellence 
of human conduct; of which disparagement, it ap- 
pears in no immediate danger. 

I hold, that Legislation should seek to elevate the 
character and promote the welfare of its subjects, 
with the least possible infringement of the principle 
of reciprocity; being itself obedient to those institu- 
tions of Nature, that regard the production, preserva- 
tion, usefulness and happiness of the human race. 

And were there a power, that I could successfully 
invoke, I would become a wrestling Jacob, until I 
were blessed with the happy consciousness, of having 
fully exemplified the purity of the Gospel, in my own 
daily practices. 



LECTURE IV. 

INFIDELITY AND RELI&I0US FAITH CRITICALLY 
EXAMINED, AND COMPARED. 

Infidelity, or unbelief, in its religious acceptation, 
is a disbelief of the supernatural inspiration of the 
Scriptures, or of the superhuman origin of Christian- 
ity; whilst the opposite should, of course, be received 
as the definition of religious faith. 

Since Nature is entirely barren of testimony in fa- 
vor of theology, anM further than the inductive con- 
viction, she enforces, of the existence of an ultimate 
cause, which we have considered, heretofore, as iden- 
tical with God, the creator, mankind have found it 
convenient to introduce, upon this question, the testi- 
mony of a reputed divine revelation. And, upon 
this, I believe the utmost reliance is almost universal- 
ly placed. If, therefore, it should fail to sustain it- 
self, under the severest scrutiny, Theology will be 
inevitably exposed in its naked decrepitude; and ab- 
horred for its digusting deformities: But, on the other 
hand, if it is marked with the consistency and infalli- 
bility of the laws of Nature, it will grow brighter by 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. Ill 

collision, and more and more conspicuous by the tests 
to which it is submitted. And were I a disciple of 
revealed religion, I would solicit, and even provoke, 
discussion upon the question of supernatural revela- 
tion, until the infidel shall have relinquished the last 
hook, upon which to hang even the shadow of an ob- 
jection; glorying, meanwhile, in my increasing confi- 
dence of the truth, as my adversary shall have re- 
treated from the field of contest. 

When have men fallen to loggerheads, about the 
permanency of the laws of Nature? Or whether 
they were in danger of being obstructed or perverted 
by the fallacy of human opinion? Have they not 
proceeded with the same regularity and results, what- 
ever opinion mankind have maintained of them? 
And, were Theology of a similar character, would it 
surrender its dominion over the opinions of men, 
sooner than gravitation over his physical corporality? 

Revelation is, nevertheless, believed to be, in tech- 
nical phrase, a noli me tangere, or touch me not — a 
sanctum sanctorum, or holy of holies, wherein the 
profanity of human reason is, peremptorily, forbid- 
den to enter, lest it should corrupt the savor of holi- 
ness, or be itself extinguished, for its sacrilegious te- 
merity. But then again, the laws of Nature, which 
Theology admits to be the institutions of God, are, 
in no wise, impaired by the closest examination; and 
wherefore revelation should be more endangered, 
from a similar scrutiny, is a question of no easy solu- 
tion, unless it is itself a fiction. 

The truth of revelation, or the supernatural char- 



112 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

acter of the Scriptures, therefore, offers itself for ex- 
amination: An enterprise so full of danger, if not of 
difficulty, that less than the temerity of martyrdom 
would cower at the enunciation of its terrible threat- 
enings. It is deemed an unhallowed encroachment 
upon the sanctuary of the holy mountain, which The- 
ology has fenced about with a mysterious sanctity that 
pales the face of the most dauntless intruder. A 
critical inquiry into the divinity of revelation is, at 
any time, a desperate undertaking, and affords a prac- 
tical illustration of the language of the author of 
Christianity, wherein he exclaims, " Think not that I 
am come to send peace on earth : I came not to send 
peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at 
variance against his father, and the daughter against 
her mother," fee. — a declaration that every page of 
Christian history has fully verified. And thus, inno- 
vation upon established prejudices has always done! 
But if, as the present opinion is, God permits man- 
kind to examine, and speculate upon his works — 
wherefore should his word be excluded from the same 
ordeal? Would God have promulgated a sentiment 
or a principle, for the theological, moral or political 
direction of mankind, less infallible, in truth and ef- 
fect, than are the laws that govern the inorganic 
world? Whence, then, the cowardly dread that the 
word of God is in danger of being subverted? But 
perhaps the disciple of Christianity deprecates the 
temporary evils of Infidelity upon the weak and 
credulous, during a contest in which the latter shall 
be finally overcome? 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 113 

This is, nevertheless, an unjustifiable fear; since 
the path to Christian conversion must be constantly, 
if not fatally, obstructed, until every stumbling-block 
to scepticism shall have been effectually removed. 
Hence the necessity of collision, until Theological, 
shall vie with mathematical, truth, in the clearness of 
its demonstrations — when man shall be again admit- 
ted to a personal interview with his maker; nor be 
cheated of the certainty of truth, of all the most mo- 
mentous, through the fallacious medium of human in- 
terpretation. And here, I must solicit your patience, 
while I speak a few words, in explanation of my own 
particular predicament. 

Notwithstanding the notoriety of my irreligion, 
which I have never shrunk from declaring, whenever 
solicited, with a frankness that ought to have vouched, 
at least, for my sincerity, I have succeeded in acqui- 
ring the friendship and patronage of a great number 
of individuals, and mostly too of Christian denomina- 
tions, whose acquaintance any man might have been 
proud to share; but, I may be allowed to say, upon 
this particular occasion, that I have, nevertheless, 
been, more than any other individual of rny acquaint- 
ance, the object of an unremitted, relentless and big- 
oted persecution, for more than thirty years; and 
after all, am, at this moment, enjoying the compensa- 
tory reflection, that I have contemptuously rejected 
hundreds of solicitations to place myself, even in the 
foremost ranks of Christian communities; and that I 
have also resisted as many temptations to secure my 

14 



114 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

temporal prosperity, at the sacrifice of both my rea- 
son and conscience. 

But then the oddest point in this long history of 
bloodless persecution is, that after thirty years of 
frank avowal of my scepticism, the tug of war, with 
murderous Bigotry, shall have but now arrived. And 
wherefore all my Christian friends should deem me 
closer leagued with Satan now, than at any former 
day of thirty years, is be} r ond my feeble power of 
divination. My principles were drawn, like theirs, 
from Gospel infallibility, wherein my spirit has been 
daily schooled, from childhood onward: And though 
its warfare with the flesh has proved its discipline de- 
fective, nor made my case, in this respect, at all pe- 
culiar; is it reasonable to fear, that wear and tear 
have made me more licentious? 

But when my friends, in tearful sorrow for my 
waywardness, shall threaten to withdraw their friend- 
ship and their patronage, in conformity with the plain 
injunctions of a Christian conscience, and prescribed 
allegiance to the infinite source of merciful forgive- 
ness; I have but one reply to such denounement, 
which is: However dearly I esteem the affection of 
my friends, and that can scarcely be suspected, in one, 
who honestly declares his willingness to yield his life 
in sacrifice for the welfare of his foes, I cannot hesi- 
tate, in the arbitrary and unnatural dilemma, wherein 
my friends, or liberty, must be relinquished. You 
know 'tis base, contemptibly base, that man should 
enter into voluntary slavery to his fellow man; but 
that 'tis baser still, except by moral suasion, to at- 



I 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 115 

tempt to modify a single thought: But then, all other 
baseness may, comparatively, assume the name of 
virtue, when contrasted with that low sycophancy, 
that would purchase favor with its self respect — a 
baseness inexpressible by any epithets afforded by our 
language. And then suppose that penury, with its 
hungry importunity and rags, should drive me to a 
base relinquishment of libeity and self respect, for 
patronage and friendship. What magnanimity in 
friendship thus developed, thus obtained and thus di- 
rected ? Moral putrefaction would be a savor of right- 
eousness in comparison! But enough of this un- 
comely egotism, which nothing but apparent necessi- 
ty would have elicited. The question of siapernatu- 
ralism is much more worthy of my labor, and your 
attention. 

The scriptures purport to be a divine revelation 
from God to man; and in this assumption, the popu- 
lation of Christendom, almost unanimonsly concur. * 
And in order to frighten incredulity, and even timidi- 
ty into acquiescence, Imposture has set its seal there- 
on, engraven with a denunciation of the unbeliever ; 
and damnation to him that doubts. But to this par- 
ticular point, whatever the imputed heresy, the Ameri- 
can citizen, white or black, male or female, should 
not hesitate to speak with a frankness, emphasis and 
boldness, persuasive of his sincerity, and his proud 
consciousnes of personal liberty. And here, in the 
unbending spirit of reciprocal and impartial freedom, 
I venture to enunciate my irrevocable curse upon 
cowardice, and blush to think, hew many Jonahs 






116 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

are my brethren. Yes, to be frightened into a relin- 
quishment of one's opinion, by threatf purporting to 
be either from God or man, is a base servility, to 
which an upright,manly consciousness can never bend : 
Nor is there more than seeming heresy in this re- 
mark: For it is a truth, no one can hope to contro- 
vert, that a God cannot, and that man should not, be 
unreasonable. 

The disciples of Christianity are, or ought to be, 
fully conscious, that both the supernatural and literal 
characters of the scriptures have been subjects of 
censorious controversy for many hundred years: 
For that an occasional individual, has Droke loose 
from the restraints of traditionary superstition, and 
with a temerity that defied persecution, promulgated 
his heresies in the teeth of a retaliatory, malignant 
and fashionable theology. Nor does the question ap- 
pear, at present, to be any nearer settled, than at 
any former period of the protracted contest. Chris- 
tians ought not, therefore, arbitrarily, to impose upon 
an opponent, a series of essays, as indisputable au- 
thority, whose character and import have been a sub- 
ject of interminable, malevolent dissention, even 
among themselves. 

Were the truth of biblical divinity susceptible of 
demonstration, or even of plausible support, by ex- 
trinsic circumstances, or intrinsic consistency, it 
would, assuredly, have been, long since, shorn of its 
countless horns, upon which Scepticism has, so long 
and securely, hung its myriads of objections. But to 
the great annoyance of its disciples, those horns have 






THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 1 17 

grown more numerous and conspicuous, as science 
has dispersed the darkness in which they were gener- 
ated. 

Whenever testimony is demanded of the truth of 
divine revelation, the inquirer having been firstly 
presented with a motley preface of hems and haws, 
of grins and grimaces, of groans and grumblings at 
the absurdity and even sinfulness of such a query, is 
finally referred to what are denominated prophecy 
and miracles for a demonstration of its validity; as 
though the most unlikely, if not impossible, things in 
nature, were to he credited as self-evident truths. 
These are propositions which Nature abhors and Phi- 
losophy detests — which cultivated reason indignantly 
spurns; and to which, nothing but the darkest super- 
stition, or the wildest mysticism can be made to as- 
sent. And yet in these palpable fallacies, slanders of 
Nature, and mockeries of her consistency, there is 
something that may be seriously, but mournfully, 
contemplated. One truth, at least, is included in 
these propositions, which must not only be admitted, 
but is doubtless deserving an explanation; viz., the 
almost universal conviction of their validity. 

It is not to be doubted, that the probability of very 
many future, or anticipated, events, may have been 
very clearly apprehended by many of the Jewish, 
Pagan and Christian moralists and politicians, and 
accordingly promulgated, in the language of positive 
assurance; by which ignorant credulity may have 
been successfully imposed upon, and a positive 
knowledge of future events very naturally supposed 



118 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

to exist, in the character of an undefinable, supernat- 
ural state, or kind, of human consciousness. 

Those nominal prophecies, of whatever date, place 
or character, were, doubtless, more or less rational 
inductions from known moral Or political circumstan- 
ces, and generally promulgated, especially among the 
Hebrews, in the imaginative spirit and style of an- 
tique poetry: But however legitimately and success- 
fully they may have been deduced from substantial 
premises, they must, nevertheless, have been, and 
remained, mere matters of faith, and not of fact, un- 
til their actual transpiration shall have given them a 
palpable and indisputable existance: For the most 
confident and reasonable expectation of an event, 
can never be identical with its certainty. An event 
in prospect is not an event in fact: And whatever 
has not already assumed the character of a specific 
phenomenon, possesses no other identity than that of 
an idea, in the mind of the projector : Therefore, pheno- 
mena, not yet transpired, are no phenomena at all; and 
however probable their occurrence, cannot make any 
part of the positive knowledge of mankind. They 
are, therefore, to be guessed at, as the nearest ap- 
proach to certainty. 

To doubt that the sun will rise tomorrow, would 
be justly deemed insanity; and yet it is equally ab- 
surd to think we know it will. Water has hitherto, 
when left to the law of gravitation, invariably run 
down hil!, and nothing appears more likely, than that 
it will continue thus to do; but to know the fact, is 
not an attribute of ordinary humanity. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 119 

The difference, therefore, between knowledge and 
belief, is too palpable to be mistaken; and may be 
seen to cpnsist in this — while the former depends ex- 
clusively upon an especial examination, and accurate ap- 
prehension of the fact itself; the latter is a mere deduc- 
tion from other facts, to which the particular fact in 
question is supposed to stand in a logical relation. 
And so of the events of prophecy, which must have 
existed in the mind of the prophet, as more or less 
distinct anticipations, produced by a course of reflec- 
tion upon the relation existing between apparent 
causes and unapparent effects. 

It appears entirely incontrovertible, whatever at- 
tempts may have been made to invalidate it, that no 
idea was ever acquired, but by the collision of some 
external circumstance with an organ of sense, or by 
reflecting upon ideas already thus acquired: Or in 
other words, we have no means of direct knowledge, 
except by the aid of our senses, and that too by their 
direct application to the objects of inquiry, or to their 
representatives; or of indirect, or inductive, knowl- 
edge, except by judicious reflection upon the relations 
and tendencies of such objects, or upon the ideas they 
shall have created. 

There is perhaps no greater absurdity in Nature, 
than the idea that mind can anticipate thought. Mind 
and thought are synonymous, and therefore converti- 
ble terms. — Hence it would be no less absurd to say, 
that mind thinks, while that very contemplation is 
mind itself, than to say that thought thinks, or that 
motion moves. 



120 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

It is true, that mind has been erroneously interpre- 
ted as the instrument of thought, which appears to be 
au injudicious epithet for brain, that is now recog- 
nized, by all educated persons, as the exclusive psy- 
chological apparatus. In this manner, cause and ef- 
fect are palpably confounded, and the function of an 
organ mistaken for the organ itself. Mind is as clear- 
ly an organic function as muscular motion; both be- 
ing phenomena, produced by irresistible impulse up- 
on the thinking and motive organs. Nor can either 
brain or muscle excite itself to action.— They must 
passively await the presence of excitation, without 
which neither would ever act: 

To speak physiologically: Man is an aggregate of 
complicated organism, which is so arranged as that, 
whilst each individual organic structure possesses a 
specific identity and functionality, the whole are as- 
sociated by means of vascular and nervous intercom- 
munication, into an individual, living, thinking, ac- 
ting machine, whose phenomena are either psycho- 
logecal or automatic, or, in other words, voluntary 
or involuntary; with the former of which only, are 
we at present concerned. 

A voluntary action is that which occurs in conso- 
nance with, and as an impulse of, the will, and is pri- 
marily produced in the following manner^ viz. — An 
appropriate external stimulus is presented to a heal- 
thy organ of sensation; whence a corresponding im- 
pulse is received by the nerves, or sentient medium 
between the world and consciousness; which impulse 
being transmitted to the brain, a corresponding con- 
sciousness, idea or perception is, at once, developed. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 121 

Nor can I apprehend any other mode, by which an 
original, or primitive, idea can have been ever ac- 
quired. And yet, this primitive idea may become it- 
self an efficient stimulus to thought — an adequate 
substitute for physical impulse, in the development of 
any formal series of reflections. And beside these, 
there seems to be no natural and apprehensible mode 
of inducing the state denominated consciousness. 
What, therefore, is apparently more innocent or judi- 
cious, than an inquiry after the peculiar mode by 
which a reputed supernatural idea may have been ac- 
quired ? But upon this question, or rather this para- 
doxical fatuity, Philosophy frowns contemptuously, 
whilst all Nature is as mute as vacancy itself. No ! 
never has she whispered a thing so senseless as su- 
pernatural revelation; nor practiced the servility of 
owning a superior. And is not man, at best, a hum- 
ble part of this same adaptive, systematic Nature? 
And what is all his aggregate biography, but a single 
paragraph of her voluminous and interminable histo- 
ry? Can he, a mere instrument, like a pair of pin- 
cers in his mother's hand, with which to work her 
purposes, successfully aspire to that which she has 
not intended ? That humanity can acquire a thought, 
above what Nature can suggest, is a fallacy, at which 
reflecting infancy should sneer. Prophecy, therefore, 
can never have been, at best, any thing more than an 
expression of opinion relative to an anticipated event, 
of which known circumstances appeared to the repu- 
ted seer, to indicate a greater or less probability : 
For, as we have already heard, certainty with man, 

15 



12-2 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

pertains to nothing which has not yet transpired; and 
even of that, he is too often conscious of misappre- 
hension, not to distrust the infallibility of his senses. 
It seems to be high time, therefore, that the stultify- 
ing phantasm, prophetic, or supernatural, inspiration 
was effectually exploded, and intellect disenthralled 
from its superstitious servility. Nor does it seem less 
derogatory to cultivated common sense, that mankind 
should admit the occurrence of phenomena, independ- 
ent and transcendental of Nature's laws. 

It is said, that God wrought miracles, in aid of Ju- 
daisnij and of the subjugation and extermination of 
those who ventured an opposition to Hebrew robbery 
and dominion. And what, meanwhile, became of his 
omnisciency, that he should have wholly overlooked 
those palpable defects, in both the ethics and theology 
of Judaism, for which a few years after, he found it 
indispensable to substitute the novel system called 
Christianity? And did that project prove abortive, 
which a senior God had instituted, especially, for the 
Jew, and which a junior God was miraculously com- 
missioned to enforce? And did God waste a world 
of pains, in this and various other ways, upon His 
peculiar people, until His undisguised partiality be- 
came a by-word of reproach, and a plausible excuse 
for atheism; and then, alas, resign them up, with ap- 
propriate denunciations, to His satanic adversary for 
both temporal and eternal ruin? And did he not al- 
low the only Theocracy on earth, the only govern- 
ment, he ever, personally, administered, to be sub- 
verted, and its subjects, who had long basked in the 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 123 

egotizing beams of culpable partiality, to be persecu- 
ted, dispersed, enslaved and murdered, by the same 
pagan idolaters as had been the particular objects of 
His almighty vengeance? Now, do you seriously be- 
lieve in the existence of such a god, or in his power 
to interrupt or modify the laws of Nature; and that 
for purposes so fatuous or vile, that common justice 
deprecates, and common sense detests, them? And 
would a god like this, be fully competent to direct a 
world's phenomena, so broad, so limitless, that this 
whole system called our own, is, comparatively, a 
single atom? But these comparisons are nugatory, 
since such a god could not produce a spear of grass, 
nor scarcely tell it from a turnip. 

It is also said, that God wrought miracles in order 
to convince mankind of Christ's divinity, and of Gos- 
pel-truth. And with what success, though aided by 
the fagot and the sword, the genuine disciple of 
Christianity, of this, or any other, time, would blush 
to tell. And if we may measure the extent of unbe- 
lief, by the deep and reiterated lamentations of the 
pious; Christendom has dearly paid, perhaps toodear- 
Jy, for its reformation, howeyer tenaciously its friends 
may hold the contrary. 

The proposition is plausible at least, that no less 
miracle is required to produce conviction of a super- 
human truth, in the mind of an individual, than in 
the minds of the whole human race — nor can it mat- 
ter at all, whether the subject of such communication 
is philosopher or fool; since a supernatural idea, being 
acquired neither by sensation nor reflection, can stand 



124 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

in no relation, whatever, to a natural one, nor be 
modified in the least, by any of the phenomena of 
Man or Nature. 

What worse improvidence, therefore, of either God 
or man, than to begin to propagate a truth, especially 
of the Gospel's reputed moment, too late to benefit a 
hundred generations; and by a method, so defective, 
that eighteen hundred years have been wasted on its 
preface — a method inevitably, and proverbially, abor- 
tive, without the aid of God's incessant, miraculous 
interposition, through the medium of His Grace! 
And if the Gospel-dispensation were made for man's 
immediate safety, wherefore was God so culpably im- 
provident, as to defer that dispensation for the period 
of four thousand years, wherein some hundred thou- 
sand million souls must have been lost, for want of 
gospel intervention? Or wherefore all this bustle, 
about a novel methed of salvation, while the Hea- 
then's piety and the Jew's obedience were adequate 
to its accomplishment? And is a god of such a char- 
acter worthy of respect, and his absurdities to be ac- 
credited as supernatural and divine phenomena? Or 
is it not inversely true, that such a god does not exist, 
except in Superstition's wild imagination, and thus, 
too palpably preposterous for serious contemplation? 
And however generally or universally the idea may 
have been adopted, or venerated, is it at all too sacred 
for children to break their jests upon? 

And yet, is not this fallacious whim personified, the 
very God both Jews and Christians worship, and to 
which the work of miracles is imputed? — And to 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 125 

which the wisest and best of men must bow, in hum- 
blest adoration, or be stigmatized as willfully corrupt 
and dangerous atheists, to shake whose hands is 
thought, by not a few, a cleanseless contamination? 

Superstition seems to have sworn her votaries upon 
the altar of incorrigible ignorance, never to yield as- 
sent to the suggestions of Reason, upon the dogmas 
of theology; nor to discard a folly she has ever 
taught. — Nor has that oath been often broken, nor 
she annoyed by frequent heresy. 

But upon the question of the supernatural charac- 
ter of revelation, were all the other, innumerable ob- 
jections nugatory, the two following appear to be suf- 
ficient to invalidate the superstitious dogma. These 
are the fallibility of the compilers, and the metaphys- 
ical ignorance of their authors. 

To substantiate the first objection, it should be only 
necessary to refer to the word apocryphal, as applied 
to the character of religious essays, of both the Old 
and New Testament eras. 

Were it true, that individuals have been supernatu- 
rally inspired with ideas, that Nature could never 
have suggested, and therefore nugatory to common 
sense; and entirely incommunicable to others, but by 
the same supernatural process; there is, nevertheless, 
a serious difficulty presented, in the absence of an in- 
fallible criterion by which the uninspired may clearly 
determine its character: For unless there is some- 
thing of this kind associated with such unnatural com- 
munication, there must be a perpetual liability to mis- 
take, imposture and scepticism. Hence it should not 



126 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

be denied, that a sufficient test should be connected 
with divine revelation, or with the revelator himself, 
to resolve entirely, the doubts of the rankest incre- 
dulity. And upon this momentous subject, it seems 
omniscience would thus have certainly suggested, and 
omnipotence have promptly instituted. 

Now, you will not misunderstand me, when I em- 
phatically declare, in this public position, that, what- 
ever the consequence, I fearlessly assume the respon- 
sibility of denying the existence of any such provi- 
sion, and cast my defiance of controversion, boldly in 
the teeth of a reputedly infallible Tritheism. 

You are all, doubtless, aware, that both the old, 
and new Testaments were compiled from a great 
number of miscellaneous manuscripts, differing very 
widely, from each other, in style, and in moral and 
religious character. And that from such hetrogen- 
eous mass, those selections were made, which ap- 
peared to be most consonant, in the opinion of the 
compilers, with the genuine spirit of divine truth — 
that is 3 truth upon moral and religious subjects. Of 
these manuscripts, it cannot be doubted, that very 
many were entirely rejected, on account of the ab- 
sence of the required characteristic. — Others were 
believed to possess it, but in too slight a degree to ex- 
tinguish every possible doubt of their genuineness. 
Those it would seem, were too highly appreciated, 
to be altogether discarded; and were, therefore, pres- 
erved, and finally arranged under the denomination, 
Apocrypha. A third class appears to have consisted 
of those writings, which carried about them the indu- 






THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 127 

bitable evidence of supernatural origin, and were 
compiled under the denominations of The Old-— and 
New — Testaments. 

These,- however, have undergone, at different times 
and by different tribunals, several revisions and mod- 
ifications—So that what has been unsuspiciously 
adopted, as genuine revelation, at one period, has 
been rejected as fallacious, or apocryphal, at another. 
Hence it is a most natural, however injudicious, con- 
clusion, that what are distinguished as the holy scrip- 
tures have, at all times, participated of the fallacies, 
and even absurdities, of the illiterate eras in which 
they originated, and in which they have been succes- 
sively, though not successfully, weeded: For not- 
withstanding they have undergone much advantage- 
ous pruning, they have still retained many superflu- 
ous and uncomely appendages. 

Now, do you not think it most preposterous, that 
a supernatural discrimination could have suffered the 
embarrassment of a doubt? Or that there could have 
remained, under such a criticism, an apocrypha], or 
doubtful, essay ? And yet there are many such, of 
both the Jewish and Christian scriptures, which have 
at different periods of religious history, been confi- 
dently adopted, and devotionally used, as portions of 
divine revelation. Hence the conclusion appears to 
be unavoidable, that the scriptures were compiled, 
under the fallible direction of mere human judg- 
ment; and consequently of no higher authority than 
any other human speculations. Nor does this con- 
sideration, in the least, depreciate their value: For 



128 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

truth can never be intrinsically modified by the pecu- 
liarity of its origin, or mode of communication. — And 
were it suggested by an idiot or a devil, and in harsh 
or exquisite poetry or prose, it would be no less val- 
uable in its effects, when adopted, than though it were 
really communicated by the incomprehensible, if not 
impracticable method of divine revelation. And this 
is confidently offered as intrinsic evidence of the fal- 
lacy of the aforesaid dogma. 

Of the second objection, or the metaphysical igno- 
rance of the biblical writers, very much more ought 
to be said, in its elucidation, than is compatible with 
our present opportunity, or the feeble ability of your 
humble servant. That mankind were anciently and 
scripturally deemed to be morally and religiously 
responsible for the character of their belief, admits of 
no manner of doubt, whilst the validity of any part of 
the scriptures continues to be acknowledged. 

This proposition is not only positively and unequiv- 
ocally asserted by Christ himself, or by the author of 
the Gospel, and often repeated by his apostles, but is 
so common a sentiment in both the old and new 
Testaments, especially the latter, that I should deem 
myself justly chargable with a willful insult to your 
religious education, were I to designate particular in- 
stances. Hence, it cannot be denied, that man is 
positively responsible to his maker, for, at least, his 
religious opinions and affections, or that the Omnis- 
cient Son of God was grossly ignorant of the meta- 
physical character of his creatures. Nor do I feel the 
least embarrassment from the predicament in which 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 129 

this proposition places me; since I deem it wholly 
unnecessary to review the history of metaphysical 
fallacies, or to disturb the literary lumber of by-gone 
ages, under which a superstitious Theology has been 
indefatigably laboring to bury the question of man's 
religious irresponsibility. I am confident that no 
scientific question is less difficult of apprehension 
than the one under consideration; since it requires 
nothing more of any individual whatever, in order 
that he should be able to judge, with sufficient accu- 
racy, of every psychological phenomenon, concerned 
in its solution, than to watch carefully and impartial- 
ly, the operation of his own mind, in any given in- 
stance of voluntary action. Nor does it matter, in 
this inquiry, whether a thinking soul, or a thinking 
brain, is admitted in the premises. In either case, the 
psychological history is the same; the mental phe- 
nomena being developed by the same causes, and in 
the same order of succession, whether thought is a 
function of the brain; or of the. soul, displaying itself 
through that medium. Hence we again assume, that 
thought is not self generative, but entirely dependent 
upon impulse, for its developement; and, as an ex- 
emplification, would offer the following. — 

You are doubtless aware that many petrified speci- 
mens, or organic remains, of extinct species of vegeta- 
bles and animals, have been exhumed from deep and 
solid masses of transition and younger rocks, in va- 
rious geographical situations upon our globe; and that 
their examination has not only produced a series of 
novel reflections among philosophers, but has literal- 

16 



ISO THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

ly established a new era in the science of geology; ana 
beside these, has thrown an enormous weight in the 
scale of probabilities against the Mosaic Cosmogony; 
and hence against the supernatural character of the 
Pentateuch-. And were you asked, whether you be- 
lieve that any of these particular reflections and opin- 
ions would have occurred, if accident had not exposed 
the aforesaid petrifactions to human observation; would 
you hesitate to yield an answer upon the side of its 
negative ? 

You are also aware, that, once, the whole human 
race, who were capable of reflection, believed the 
earth's surface to be flat, with the slight exception of 
hill and dale; nor should it be suspected, that you are 
unacquainted with the circumstances that prove it to 
be spherical. — And were not these circumstances ap- 
plied, and reapplied successively, for thousands of 
years, before they produced a final conviction of the 
truth? And is it, nevertheless, preposterously pre- 
tended, that such conviction could have been other- 
wise attained — uninduced and self-generated? — Yes, 
to the deep disgrace of* present metaphysical science, 
it is so ! Nor is this the only, nor the silliest dogma, 
that Prejudice has instituted, for common-sense to 
sneer at. 

Thought has been referred to the brain, whose ac- 
tion, or functional excitation is assumed to be identi- 
cal with thought, as that of muscle is with motion; 
nor is the one more capable than the other of origina- 
ting its own actions. — 

For. if the brain were really possessed of such ca- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS, 1-31 

pacity, it would have been nugatory, for any intellect- 
ual purpose whatever, that the organic petrefactions 
referred to, should have been disinterred from their 
rocky inclosures that they might be recognized; nor 
the evidences of the earth's spheiicity required, to 
produce conviction of the fact — nor yet the cogita- 
tions of gods or men, to have been expressed, in order 
to their being fully understood. And, ^certainly, if 
there were any other mode of originating ideas than 
by impulse, human apprehension might be indeed 
limitless. 

Take, if you please, any individual circumstance 
of your life, in which opinion, preference and will, or 
determination, have been involved- and see whether 
its analysis will justify, or not, the prevailing dogma 
of religious, or even of moral, responsibility! 

Admitting what it would be the depth of absurdity 
to deny, that voluntary actions are never performed 
without motive; will you tell me whether, of any 
number of contemplated motives, that of the greatest 
apparent value, has not always predominated? Are 
you conscious of having, at any time, manufactured 
the motives of your own actions ? Or have you only 
judged, more or less accurately, of the comparative 
value of such motives, as accident has thrown in your 
way? When were your partialities or prejudices, in 
the least, modified by your own predetermination? 
Or, finally, in what particular instance of your life, 
do you feel assured, that you could have thought or 
acted differently, without a variation of the attendant 
circumstances?— And whether those circumstances 



132 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

were, or were not, subject to the influence of your 
own volition? And until these questions shall have 
been answered in behalf of responsibility, man must 
acknowledge himself to be one of the innumerable 
products of Nature's plastic energies, which she has 
forced into existence, and also into the possession of 
the characteristics of his anomalous being — that he is 
a creature o&circumstance, who thinks and acts con- 
sonantly with the affinities, constitutionally established 
between his own sensibilities and the contingents upon 
which they may, at any time, infringe. For other-,' < 
wise he may, and must, assume the prerogative of 
predetermining his own thoughts, or of contemplating 
what he will contemplate; and of foreordaining his 
own actions, independently of impulse, or antecedent 
causation — that is, in spite of God or Nature: And 
being thus, unembarrassed by the arbitrary formality 
of motives, he would be enabled to institute his own 
contemplative elysium, in spite of the lacerations, 
physical circumstance should maliciously inflict upon 
his animal corporation. Nor, whilst unhappiness 
should be thus left to his own latches, would he be 
less insane, than though he were to attempt to bite his 
own nose off, should he fail in the manufacture, or 
preconcertion of such cogitations as would extinguish 
the possibility of suffering an unhappy moment. 

It is doubtless true, that opinion governs the man, 
and not man opinion. Opinion is enforced upon the 
man, and the man impelled thereby. And wherever 
opinion has been proved to be judicious, by the prac- 
tical benefits it has produced, it and they have been 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 133 

honored by the name of virtue; but, on the contrary, 
whenever it has been erroneous, and its consequences 
disastrous, it and they have been stigmatized as vice. 
Hence it may be plausibly concluded, that virtue and 
vice, or good and evil, have not an intrinsic, but mere- 
ly a conventional, existence — that being good, which 
is productive of happiness, and that evil, which im- 
pairs it. 

But to attempt the clearest possible elucidation of 
the question of responsibility for mere opinion, or be- 
lief, as well as that of directing or modifying its in- 
stitution; I would be allowed to present you with the 
following additional illustration. 

Suppose yourselves, individually, to have been 
nurtured, in the strictest tenets of Romanism, with 
the clearest conviction of the infallibility of the Pope, 
and of the truth of transubstantiation, or the miraculous 
transmutation of the flour and wine, constituting its 
sacramental wafers, into the real flesh and blood of 
Jesus Christ; and that you doubted not, while parta- 
king of the sacrament, that you were literally canni- 
balizing upon the cast off corporality of the Son of 
God! Thus far it is clearly absurd that you should 
be charged with responsibility for an opinion thrust 
upon you by your spiritual teachers, and therefore 
must have innocently acquired; and oue, you also 
deemed so invaluable, that the basest means were 
more than justified in its support; for thus thought 
the church. 

Suppose you shall have, subsequently, fallen upon 
some lucid commentary of one of the great reformers 



134 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

of Popery, that shall have cleared off the opacity of 
your vision, with the despatch of a successful occu- 
list, whereby you shall have come to detest the opin- 
ion you lately thought so valuable! And where is 
now the responsibility for this new opinion, which 
the church calls heresy, and deserving of torture and 
perdition ? Did you predetermine it, or design, or in- 
stitute, the means of its accomplishment? Or were 
not those means produced by talents much surpassing 
yours, and dropped, by accident, upon the supersti- 
tious path, you were stupidly and contentedly pursu- 
ing; and which you ignorantly, but piously believed 
the only way to heaven? 

Having acquired your opinion, you thought it pass- 
ing strange, that you should have been so obstinately 
wrong, or so well pleased with so palpable an error. 
And yet your conscience told you, there was no need 
of penitence. And had you been a practical inquisi- 
tor, and tortured out the lives of countless, conscien- 
tious men, for what you deemed the welfare of the 
church, your worst reflection should have been re- 
gret, that your opinions were not sooner changed. — 
And thus thought Paul, of his Christian persecutions. 

In this example, you have also an illustration of the 
fallacy of an almost universal opinion, that we are 
happier with our present belief, than we should be 
with any possible substitute. For it has been shown, 
that you were not only entirely satisfied with, but 
obstinately tenacious of your opinions, as papists; 
and that, as protestants, also, you were not only 
equally satisfied with your new ones; but were sur- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 135 

prised at the grossness of your former errors, and 
blushed at the recollection of having stupidly adopted 
them. Opinion, therefore, is not the more satisfac- 
tory, for being one thing or another, but for being 
ours: Hence it should be a matter of indifference, 
whether we retain our present opinion or not — wheth- 
er we hold the same perpetually, or change it hourly, 
so far at least as mere opinion contributes to happi- 
nes. But you have already heard that there is anoth- 
er, and more substantial, value in opinion, estimated 
by its salutary influence upon human conduct. Our 
object, therefore should not be to retain a present 
opinion, but to acquire a right one, in which our real 
interest always predominates. 

And do you really think it a successful display of 
what you deem to be infinite wisdom, wherein the in- 
carnate Logos, or wisdom of God, is made to say, that 
He will reprove the world of sin, because they be- 
lieve not on him — and that they who believe not that 
he is the Christ shall die in their sins, and of course 
be excluded from paradise? — That he that believeth 
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth 
not shall be damned; and that he that believeth on 
the Son, hath everlasting life; and he that believeth 
not shall not see life, Sec; especially, when contrasted 
with the following, Mark 9.23: "Jesus said unto 
him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to 
him that believeth"? Most certainly the man could 
believe in the power of Christ to restore the health 
of his epiliptic son, as readily as he could believe His 
superhuman character. The first he might believe if 
he could — the latter he should believe or be damned. 



136 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

Did Christ upbraid his appostles, as in Mark 16,14; 
because they believed not the witnesses to his resur- 
rection, and, nevertheless, condescend to afford Thom- 
as, gratuitous demonstration of the fact, without 
demanding his belief upon a less consideration; as 
though unbelief were not altogether reprehensible 
wherein testimony, however direct and unimpeacha- 
ble, fails to produce conviction? 

And what do you think of the natural, or supernat- 
ural, acquirements of the renowned disciple of the 
ficticious, Jewish Gamaliel, or recompense of God, 
when he charges his brethren cc to take heed, lest there 
be, in any of them, an evil heart of unbelief," to 
which abundant reference is made, as the seat of 
propensities, affections, preference, will and even 
opinion itself, leaving the brain, which is the exclusive 
psychological organ, without a single function to per- 
form? 

The bible, therefore, promulgates opinions, whose 
absurdity should have secured their explosion, even 
among the children of the peasantry, centuries ago: 
And yet their appreciation with theology renders 
them, apparently, too invaluable to be voluntarily re- 
linquished, or even wrenched from the gripe of a 
superstitious obstinacy, which, tradition has so long 
petted, that it has become altogether incorrigible. 

It should be deemed no less than blasphemous, in 
these latter days of improved erudition, to reiterate 
the preposterous fallacies of reputed divine revela- 
tion, as though God were once so ignorant or abusive, 
as to have adopted or promulgated them, to his own, 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 1ST 

and his creature's shame. Insanity and idocy, only, 
should be excused for charging God with having 
wrought a fallacy, or committed a mistake. No ! that 
which is untrue in Nature, a God can never have 
adopted, nor inculcated. The foregoing, therefore, 
are human fallacies; anatomical, physiological and 
metaphysical errors, of which the Clergy, from igno- 
rance or prejudice, or both, continue to be madly te- 
nacious, in spite of reiterated confutation : And in the 
very language, that science has long since rendered 
nugatory, they pretend to philosophize and instruct 
an illiterate laity, whose stupidity fattens upon their 
theological and metaphysical stultiloquence. 

And here, you will permit me to give a brief reca- 
pitulation of my sentiments relative to that most stupid 
of all serious questions, viz., that of moral culpabili- 
ty for mere abstract opinion;' which is, metaphysically 
interpreted, a state of mind either favorable, or unfa'- 
vorable, to whatever suggestion or proposition it shall 
have been presented with — the former constituting 
belief, the latter unbelief. If, therefore, a person can- 
not institute an opinion antecedently to suggestive 
circumstances, and even contrary to their natural' ten- 
dencies,- it is clear, that belief and unbelief, in all pos- 
sible cases, are irresistibly forced upon him; and 
hence the charge of moral or religious responsibility 
must be entirely nugatory. 

The mind, as has been already said, is dormant du- 
ring the absence of excitation; nor can opinion be 
ever formed without a presentation to the mind, of 
more or Jess of those circumstances, which have ac- 

17 



138 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 



quired the name of evidence. As well might math- 
ematics be instituted without numbers, or geometry 
without figure.. Hence, if opinion, or belief and dis- 
belief cannot occur, in the absence of what the mind 
recognizes as testimony, which would be equivalent 
to an opinion without an object, it must depend, in- 
controvertibly,. and exclusively, upon circumstances, 
over which the mind possesses no modifying control. 
Responsibility, therefore, for the formation, or pas- 
session, of opinion, is one of the senseless dogmas of 
illiterate superstition; of which it is disgraceful to 
acknowledge, that it is, yet, to be exploded: For, if it 
is culpable, in any case, to have acquired an errone- 
ous belief, a single exception to the rule is altogether 
inadmissible} and hence culpability must be as cer- 
tainly, if not as momentously r involved in an errone- 
ous opinion of astronomy, or chemistry, as of theolo- 
gy or morality. And who, allow me to ask, is so un- 
reasonable, as to reproach a cobbler, with his ignorance 
of Sir Isaac Newton's Principia; or a back-woods 
log-roller, with that of Sir Humphrey Davy's, or Jus- 
tus Liebig's Agricultural Chemistry; of which, in all 
probability, neither has ever heard ? Yet, if the 
scriptures are literally trite, an erroneous opinion of 
the personality, or divinity of Jesus Christ, which, 
by the by. stands upon the same foundation as any 
other, is to be visited with the amazingly dispropor- 
tibned penalty of eternal damnation. And, most cer- 
tainly, if belief can be instituted without apparent 
evidence, it can be so, in, direct opposition to it. And, 
hence, a Lazarus might have sanely believed, that he 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 139 

was snugly deposited in Abraham's bosom. Nor, 
upon this principle, would the literal incarnation of 
the spirit of evil find the least inconvenience in be- 
lieving himself, to be the immaculate Son of God. 
And so Napoleon might, if he would, have believed 
his ruinous defeat at Waterloo a splendid victory; 
and that his murderously unexampled retreat from 
Moscow, and his exiles to El^, and St. Helena, as so 
many magnificent triumphs. 

Now, religious infidelity consists, in fact, of a dis- 
belief of these and similar contemptible absurdities, 
which Theology has arbitrarily and successfully im- 
posed upon mankind: Nor does it involve the slight- 
est distrust of a single truth in Nature. It frankly 
admits all the testimony afforded by Nature, and all 
the inductions Reason has been able to draw there- 
from, in favor of the existence of a God, which it is, 
however, entirely unable to distinguish from the idea 
of ultimate causality, whereat every continuous in- 
quiry must finally terminate; and at which every se- 
ries of phenomena must have commenced. 

Religious faith, on the contrary, appears to have 
nothing to do with Nature, or with any of her palpa- 
ble realities; but professes to spurn them, as objects 
entirely unworthy of its exalted contemplation ! It 
constitutes one of the three rundles of the ladder, 
upon which a fictitious Spiritualism anticipates its 
ascent to a fictitious Paradise. And yet, so inconsist- 
ent are spiritualists, that while they decry the world 
and the flesh, as being too uncleanly for the residence 
and habitation of their sanctified souls, they are often 



140 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

found so firmly clinched to its veriest corruptions, 
that Death itself can scarce!}- unloose their gripe! 
Yes, while they are importuning you to relinquish 
your attachment to " the thiugs of time and sense" 
for a more exalted devotion to God and spiritualism, 
they are doubtless sometimes, much more seriously 
devising some artful plan., to circumvent a neighbor 
in a bargain, and thereby transfer, unpaid for, anoth- 
er's property to themselves: Nor is it dealing unfairly 
with spiritualists, an occasional, magnanimous ex- 
ception having been admitted, to say that, while they 
point with one hand toward an imaginary heaven, 
they are literally committing felony with the other. 
Such is the apparent practical result of both Theism 
and Tri-theism, notwithstanding they assume to have 
been instituted and patronized of God: sustained by 
miracles; and verified by martyrdom; and all, espe- 
cially, for man's regeneracy, from a state of nature, 
to a state of grace! 

And, in the face of all this palpable invalidation, 
the religious Fanatic, nevertheless, believes all truth. 
superior to that which ministers to the welfare of the 
beast, to be safely wrapped up within the folds of a 
stultifying and maddening spiritualism! Wherefore 
then., I boldly- ask, should the slightest blush suffuse 
the cheek of him, who is peevishly taunted with his 
infidelity? Should he not rather glory in his, little 
less than miraculous, emancipation from the intellect- 
ual thraldom to which his race has so long, tamely 
and shameful!}- submitted? And let me indulge the 
hope, that your affirmative assent is unembarrassed by 
a momentary doubt ! 



LECTURE V. 

THE CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE OEJECTS OF 
RELIGIOUS FAITH CONTINUED. 

Scepticism has been constantly, and, doubtless, 
with no little propriety, taunted with its ignorance of 
both, the letter and spirit of those scriptures it would, 
as is said, ruinously, if not maliciously, invalidate. 
But admitting the justice of the general charge, that 
sceptics are poorly read, in, both, the scriptures and 
their voluminous, elaborate commentaries; the rule 
has > nevertheless, been interrupted by frequent indi- 
vidual exceptions, wherein may have been found 
enough of biblical erudition to have done credit to 
the cowl or suplice — to pope or bishop. And yet 
the general reading of those scriptures, superficial as 
it may have been, has, doubtless, engendered and 
nourished the present luxuriant Infidelity, that threat- 
ens, ere long, to supersede the superstitions of Chris- 
tianity; and that, without detracting from its ethical, 
and only, truth: Therefore, whilst the Christian 
solicits attention to the Scriptures, as an infallible mean 
of instituting and confirming spiritual faith, the seep- 



142 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

tic may, with, at least, an equal confidence, advance 
the same proposition, to invalidate their superhuman 
character: And whilst the one is laboriously search- 
ing out biblical concordances; the other, with much less 
labor, may sate himself with the contrary. Apply 
yourselves, therefore, both to the volume of Nature, 
and that of reputed, divine revelation, perusing and 
comparing them, carefully, page by page, that you 
may, judiciously, decide, how far the truths of the 
former corroborate the hypotheses of the latter! Nor 
distrust the validity of this assertion. — That Nature 
is one great, infallible truth — a magnificent aggrega- 
tion of all the miscellaneous particulars of herself and 
history; constituting the sole criterion, by which all 
human truth, of both thought and action, should be 
tested! For veritable thoughts and opinions are but 
Nature spiritualized — literal truths accurately cop- 
ied by the brain ! However ample, the apparent cir- 
cumference of our rule, religious faith is, neverthe- 
less, excluded from its limits. One of its earliest and 
warmest advocates has, most aptly, defined it in Heb. 
11, 1: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped 
for, the evidence of things not seen.' 5 And, in this, 
we have a striking instance of old fashioned, logical 
acumen, which, by the by, is shamefully in fashion 
yet; especially, in the service of theism! 

Two propositions are, pretty clearly, included in 
the apostle's definition of faith; first, that it is the 
substance, and second, that it is the evidence, of a 
thing — or, that it is, both, the substance and evidence, 
that our confident expectations will be verified; the 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 143 

slightest analysis of which, must clearly expose the 
inanity, if not the insanity, of its author. 

By what sophistical necromancy, a literal substance 
can be wrought, out of mere mental confidence, or 
how mind can be transformed to matter, can be known,- 
only, to supernaturalism ! Nor can it be reconciled, 
with any of the views of common sense, that faith is 
the evidence of any truth whatever, except that the 
mind has been, antecedently, influenced by real or 
imaginary testimony in favor of the event hoped for!' 
And yet this sonorous inanity — this rhetorical nu- 
gacity, has been pompously enunciated from every 
pulpit in Christendom, and upon every convenient 
occasion, as being especially imbfied with the awful 
spirit of divine wisdom ! 

Faith, of whatever kind, or degree, is nothing, 
mare nor less, but a confident expectation of the lite- 
ral occurrence of some anticipated event; and is, 
therefore, neither the substance,- nor the evidence of 
such event; being itself as fallacious as any other at- 
tribute of humanity. But if religious faith possesses 
the efficiency imputed to it by the Scriptures, and yet 
can claim no strength, superior to that of any other;, 
for that faith is still but faith, whatever subject shall 
have developed it, nor always stronger in the right 
than wrong; then, Monomania should never err; Li- 
centiousness be disappointed; nor Parsimony be un- 
happy: Nor should Millerians, or Second-adventists, 
remain, in lingering disappointment, for having failed 
of their anticipated translation to the skies! 

But to return to the Pentateuch, where Criticism 



144 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

will find no want of objects, on which to vent its ac- 
rimony. 

At the termination of the deluge, we find the hiT- 
man race reduced to eight individuals of a single 
family, from three of whom the world was to be pa- 
ternally indebted for its repopulation: And yet, but 
about a century had elapsed, when Babylon the great 
—the queen of cities — a peopled world in miniature, 
stood, gigantically, astride the majestic river of Eden; 
and, in her vain assumption of omnipotence, mocked 
at invasion, and laughed at the reiterated, prophetic 
threatenings of the Almighty. — Around and in her 
midst, arose a wall, in competition with the clouds, 
and vying with a mountain's strength; whose hundred 
brazen gates yawned at a population whose num- 
bers historians have not ventured to compute: And, 
within its westerly enclosure, sublimely stood the 
towering Babel-pyramid, that reared its ostentatious 
hight, in sacreligious nearness to the throne of God. 
Nor yet so near that Omnipercipience could clearly 
view it from its own Emplyrean; and therefore "God 
came down, to see the City and the Tower." And 
because it was so fearfully indicative of the almighty 
power of human strength combined, as to threaten 
Omnipotence with successful competition, God resort- 
ed to the surprisingly ingenious expedient, of con- 
founding, or diversifying, human dialect, in order to 
disperse its dangerous population, and divide its 
threatening enterprise. And so successful was the 
project, that Ninus, the son of him who founded 
Babylon, successfully emulated the enterprise of his 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 145 

father, in the erection of magnificent Ninevah — 
scarcely inferior to Babylon itself: Nor could Egypt- 
ian Thebes have been much less, or later in its origin, 
than those already named ! 

Now, would you not deem yourselves insulted, 
were you offered an opinion of the absurdity and abor- 
tiveness of the foregoing project; or of the utter in- 
consistency of the biblical record, which preposter- 
ously derives all this immensity of people, wealth and 
art from Noah's sons, within the period Chronology 
designates, or one hundred and two years? Are you 
aware, that all the population, which could have re- 
sulted from the six prolific individuals of Noah's 
family, at the rate of doubling in sixteen years, an 
increase more rapid than was ever known, would 
numberless than five hundred, in a single century ? 
And do you still believe great Babylon was peopled 
thence; and that her millions were from Noah's loins, 
in contravention of Nature's institutes; nor yet, a 
miracle pretended to be wrought, in aid of its accom- 
plishment? — Then you may fearlessly proceed to 
swallow, both, Jonah and the whale, as a very feasi- 
ble employment for so capacious a credulity! 

And again; whose dialect, but that of the builders 
of the sacreligious edifice, was confounded? Or were 
it of the whole population of the great city, or even 
of Chaldea itself; that were but an inconsiderable 
portion of the inhabitants of a populated world, as 
the Hebrew tradition explicitly and repeatedly de- 
clares that ancient one to have been. And, should 
Ignorance venture upon a contradiction, it may be 

18 



146 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

asked, where were Armenia, Assyria, Mesopotamia, 
Aram, or Syria, Persia, or the land of Nod, Egypt 
and Ethiopia? Were they not already planted with 
towns and cities; and also bloated with a population, 
from which millions could be spared for defense, or 
depredation? And when Abram first passed through 
the land of promise, were not the Canaanite and the 
Perizzite already there, and in countless numbers too? 
And were not the Horites, Amalekites and Ainorites 
settled upon their borders? What better than a sense- 
less fable, therefore, is the story of the confusion of 
human dialect? 

I will not stop here to recount the contemptuous 
reflections, elicited by the palpable inconsistencies of 
Abram's going with his family and effects, from Ha- 
ran, in Mesopotamia, to a position between Bethel 
and Ai, or Hai, in the land of Canaan, a distance, by 
any practicable route, of more than five hundred 
miles, and that in a country too, which Josephus says 
w it requires much time to pass through; it being te- 
dious traveling, both in winter for depth of clay, and 
in summer for want of water; and besides this, for 
the robberies there committed, which are not to be 
avoided by travelers, but by caution beforehand." 
And this long, difficult and dangerous journey accom- 
plished, without a single incident, worthy to be re- 
corded; nor but two short lines appropriated to the 
whole account, viz. " And they went forth, to go into 
the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they 
came." 

Now do you not deem this quite too insignificant a 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 147 

journal, for divine Inspiration to have suggested of so 
inevitably eventful a peregrination? And do you not 
think, that Contempt would debase itself, were it to 
condescend to seowl upon so utterly worthless an 
item of civil history? 

I do not intend, in these essays., to commit a waste 
cf your, or my own, time, by noticing unimportant 
discrepancies; nor, especially, by a snarling pedagog- 
ical criticism of mere style: But a specimen or two 
just now presents itself, of quite too singular a char- 
acter to, entirely, escape remark. 

In Gen. 9, 23, we read, " And Shem and Japheth 
took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, 
and went backward, and covered the nakedness of 
their father; and their faces were backward, and they 
saw not their father's nakedness." In order to make 
sense of this quotation, it is necessary that the word 
backward, as repeated in the same sentence, should 
be inversely interpreted in its two positions, i. e. if 
those two sons of Noah went backward, in approach- 
ing their father, they could not, at the same time, 
have conveniently looked ^backward, or in the same 
direction without seeing the very nakedness it appears 
to have been their object to avoid. But this is merely 
a blunder, and not a falsehood: And yet, it seems ex- 
ceptionable, that Inspiration should commit the slight- 
est blunder. 

It seems an instance of somewhat more than austere 
justice, that Ham shall have been cursed with perpet- 
ual servitude to his brethren, for having accidentally, 
or evtn purposely, seen his drunken father's naked- 



148 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

ness; and, therefore, how inexcusably absurd, to ac- 
cuse a being of reputed infinite justice, of having ar- 
bitrarily transferred a penalty from the immediate 
transgressor, (admitting Ham to have been such) to 
his unborn, unparticipant, innocent and irresponsible 
posterity! And do you seriously believe that God, 
intentionally, dictated this palpable slander of him- 
self; and thac too, with the fallacious expectation, that 
it would escape detection by our undiscriminative 
race? Then you may, with the utmost consistency, 
admit the accuracy of the Jewish description of Him; 
and that He had really forgotten, or never knew, how 
cunning, an intercourse with Satan would make man- 
kind. 

We were, however, agreeably disappointed upon 
meeting with the subsequent declaration, that the 
subject of the aforesaid condemnation should, never- 
theless, be also the servant of the Lord: For it is 
written, in verse 26, of the chapter referred to, "And 
he said, blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Ca- 
naan, (Ham's posterity) shall be his servant." That 
is, in its only grammatical acceptation, the culprit 
was sentenced, not to be the servant of Shem, but of 
the Lord God of Shem; a somewhat singular dispen- 
sation toward the subject of so serious a retribution 
as that of perpetual slavery to one's kindred. Nor 
should we believe that Noah was better than insane, 
having just awaked from a state of drunken stupidi- 
ty, to the consciousness of deserving himself to be 
cursed, to utter such an unnatural denouncement, 
were it not a matter of subsequent history, that Ca- 



THEOLOGICAL CRfTICLSMS. 149 

naan was really invaded, conquered, enslaved and 
murdered. And were the question asked by whom: 
Would you not very confidently reply, by the de- 
scendants of Shem, through the loins of Eber or He- 
ber and Peleg; and meanwhile think yourselves fully 
justified by the letter of the record? Then you 
would be, for once, palpably mistaken. For to your 
utter confusion, and that of all believers in the con- 
sistency of Jewish supernaturalism, you will find in 
the following, or 27th verse, this declaration, that 
"God shall enlarge Japhelh, and he (Japheth shall 
dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his 
(Japheth's) servant;" which seems not, however, to 
have been historically verified. 

It is explicitly declared by this, theological oracle, 
that Eber was the father of the Hebrews, and the 
great-grand-son of Shem; from whom Peleg was the 
first, and Abram the sixth generation: And that the 
Hebrews, or descendants of Shem, were the conquer- 
ors and enslavers of unfortunate Canaan. But the 
record is a direct contradiction of this, v. herein it 
says, as above, cc that Japheth, (or Japhet) shall dwell 
in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his (that is 
Japheth's servant:" Japheth being, meanwhile, rep- 
resented as the father of the nations who inhabited the 
isles of the Gentiles; or, as Josephus says, the father 
of the Galls, Sythians, Medes, Greeks, Thracians, 
Cyprians, &c. Sec. by whom the primitive Canaanites 
seem not to have been at all disturbed. 

It is certain, therefore, that the texts under conside- 
ration, are grossly inconsistent, cither in their construe- 



150 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

tion or import. They either do not convey the mean- 
ing of the writer, or he was guilty of promulgating 
falsehoods. For, it is, at best, historically true, that 
the Canaanites were neither the servants of God nor 
Japheth. 

Thus ends our criticism of the syntax adopted by 
supernatural Inspiration; but not with its other nu- 
merous connections. 

I would be indulged in a single remark, upon the 
discrepancy observable between the pentateuch of 
Moses, and the history of Josephus, in regard to the 
length of each of the seven generations between Shem 
and Terah. 

While the former allows but thirty-two years and a 
half, as the average length of a generation, the latter 
extends it to a little less than one hundred and thirty- 
two. Arphaxad is also declared by the former, to 
have been born but two years after the deluge, while 
the latter, as emphatically, declares it to have been 
twelve. This may be taken as very plausible evi- 
dence, at least, that different, if not uumerous tradi- 
tions had been preserved of the same historical events, 
respecting the Hebrew people. 

Now, it is recorded of the patriarchs of these seven 
generations, that they lived to the average age of 
three hundred and thirty years; not, however gradu- 
ally decreasing, as Josephus declares, but between the 
consecutive ones of Eber and Peleg, abruptly reduced 
to little more than one half; or from 464, to 239, years. 
And do you think it credible, that, while human life 
was prolonged to 330 years, ifaa* connubial eligibility 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 151 

shall have arrived earlier than when it was abridged 
to 120, as the case appears to have been with Moses 
and his cotemporaries? And here I am reminded of 
a somewhat striking disparity between the account 
given by Moses and Josephus, respecting the time and 
manner of the aforesaid abridgement of human life. 

We find, agreeable to the biblical chronology, that, 
in the year two thousand three hundred and forty 
nine before the present era, God said li my Spirit 
shall not always strive with man, for that he also is 
flesh; yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty 
years." At what period of human history, this decree 
is to be literally and permanently enforced, remains 
for futurity to determine, since it has not been veri- 
fied in the past. 

Subsequently to this declaration, Hebrew genealo- 
gy informs us, that the average length of human life, 
during eleven generations, was three hundred and five 
years nearly. And we learn from the poetry of David 5 
Ps. 90, 10; That the days of man's years were three 
score years, and ten; and that if by reason of 
strength, they were extended to fourscore years, yet 
their strength was labor and sorrow; for it was soon 
cut off, and they were flown away. Hence it may be 
v-ery reasonably concluded, that, during the last three 
thousand years, the period of human life has been 
very nearly as it is at present; and therefore the val- 
idity of Inspiration, in this instance, apparently, not 
a little suspicious. But Josephus, failing as may be 
supposed, to find, amongst the traditions of his coun- 
trymen, a satisfactory reason, for the abridgment of 



152 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

human life, has employed his own ingenuity, with 
laughable success, in constructing one, viz., because 
Moses happened to live one hundred and twenty years, 
God, therefore, in respect of him, determined that to 
he the length of human life: A most exalted idea of 
Deity, and of the motives by which He is actuated. 
Another circumstance also, which bears strongly upon 
the validity of the Mosaic account of the shortness 
of the seven generations, between Shern and Terah, 
is, that the average length of the eight .subsequent 
ones, or those from Terah to Moses, inclusive, was 
about 46 1-4 years, or nearly 13 3-4 longer than the 
preceding, which seems to be altogether dissonant 
with the principle of gradual abridgment, therein 
clearly inculcated. 

This however, though apparently too absurd to 
have been committed by divine Inspiration, is com- 
paratively too trifling to expend a serious objection 
upon. And thus, it may be said of its innumerable 
associates; such as the profane implication of God 
in the fraudulent imposture, practiced upon the un- 
wary Egyptian King, wherein, at Abram's instigation, 
Sarai disavowed her connubial relationship, and pal- 
pably, as did her husband, also, perverted the truth, 
by an avowal of consanguinity that did not exist; 
for she w as not his father's, but his uncle's daughter. 
And do you think it probable, that God connived with 
such a black-leg cheat as Abram, to circumvent, abuse 
defraud and frighten honest Pharaoh? And such he 
surely was, for aught the record tells us: For it is a 
fair conclusion from history itself, that the custom 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 103 

then, not only excused, but even justified Pharaoh's 
contemplated intercourse with Sarai, had she been 
unmarried. Wherefore then, was Pharaoh plagued 
with great plagues? Was it as a punishment for the 
witless confidence he placed in the word of God's 
particular favorite; as though he were himself re- 
sponsible for a mere contemplated delinquency; and 
that too, one into which he had been cheated, by the 
willful misrepresentation of righteous Abram? Or 
did God, really, contrary to any rational expectation 
of him, suggest the expedient of a palpable false- 
hood, and a most reprehensible fraud, in order to 
subserve the interests of a favorite, which could not 
have been honestly accomplished; thus admitting Om- 
niscience to have fallen into a dilemma, wherein, infi- 
nite justice was unavoidably sacrificed to the imbe- 
cility of almighty power? But this was a Hebrew 
god, from which nothing better could have been ra- 
tionally expected: And yet both orthodox and unor- 
thodox theology owns such a character to be the ob- 
ject of its most pious veneration; and would damn, 
to endless wo, whoever ventures a dissent from the 
justice of its claim! Alas, that superstitious Tyran- 
ny shall have scourged mankind, so long and safely; 
nor even now, afford a hope that its dotage will ever 
yield a chance for successful revolution. 

But what is stranger still, in this most strange nar- 
ration, (especially wherein a Jewish god's insanity is 
not concerned) is that Sarai should have retained, un- 
til her ninetieth year, and in that prematuring climate 
too, so many of the fascinations of her youthful beau- 

19 



154 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

ty, as to supersede, with king Abimelech, the fairest 
of all the countless damsels he might command 5 and 
who, without a question, as the eastern fashion was, 
were emulous of domestication, within the precincts 
of his harem, or moral slaughter-house. 

What induced Abram to go into the south, in a 
journey from Egypt to Canaan, situated as those pla- 
ces are in relation to each other, i. e. east north east, 
and west south west, having Ramesees or its neigh- 
borhood for the Egyptian extremity, whereby dis- 
tance and difficulties must have been continually in- 
creased, is a question, apparently somewhat difficult 
of solution. 

Again — Do you believe that Abram and his nephew, 
Lot, acquired in Egypt, during a residence, scarcely 
more than sufficient to relate the incredible story, 
such numbers of "sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and 
men-servants, and she-asses, and camels, that the! and, 
about Bethel and Ai, was not able to bear them — And 
that, notwithstanding theCanaanite and the Perizzite 
dwelled then in the land," they successfully assumed 
the ownership of the country, and peaceably appro- 
priated its produce to themselves? It must have been 
no common enterprise, that made these Hebrews so 
quickly and immensely rich! For were Pharaoh, 
really so contemptible a dupe as to have been cheated 
into an undeserved liberality to Abram, while the 
Hebrew's willfully corrupt perversion of the truth, 
ought to have obtained his imprisonment in its stead; 
accounting thus, for his pecuniary success, the ques- 
tion still remains, how Lot should also have become 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 155 

so ric&, notwithstanding Pharaoh, most judiciously, 
banished them all his country,. as soon as he became 
acquainted with their dangerous duplicity.. And yet 
you are obnoxious to the uncomely epithets, infidel 
and heretic, unless you believe that these two He- 
brews drove countless flocks and herds, from Egypt 
to the land of Canaan; and, unmolested., fed them 
there, amongst the. towns and eities of its native pop- 
pulation, and, without rebuke, monopolized between 
them, a peopled territory, much more extensive than 
a petty kingdom of that ancient time. And thus the 
case is biblically reported; Or what meant Abram, 
when he thus exclaimed? (i Is not the whoJe land be- 
fore thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if 
thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the 
right.; or if thou depart to the right hand, I will go to 
the left." Or wherefore does the record say, that 
" Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan — and dwelled 
in the cities of the plain:" And that kings and people 
cheerfully surrendered their possessions to these un- 
ceremonious intruders. 

And was it consonant with the genius of the times, 
or the character of human nature, that these two 
Chaldeans, themselves vagrants, should have induced 
an army of free Egyptians, (for slaves were at the 
command of others) to abandon their homes and 
country, for the very unseductive consideration of be- 
coming the servants of strangers, and perhaps of vag- 
abonds., in a strange, if not a barbarous, land? Ami 
is it consistent with the fashion of those ancient, pa- 
triarchal times, where Youth was, not only, taught an 



156 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

impious respect for age; but when it was indebted to 
obedience for life itself, that experienced Age should 
voluntarily disclaim respect, and surrender its author- 
ity, opinions and partialities to youthful inexperience, 
as Abram appears to have done, with regard to his 
nephew Lot ? 

It is not to be expected, that the most ignorant and 
enthusiastic devotee of Judiasm, will presume upon 
the fictitious excuse, for his favorite patriarch, that 
the territory of Canaan was, at the time in question, 
an uninhabited desert, and therefore rightfully subject 
to the occupancy of whoever would take the trouble 
to sit down upon it. On the contrary, he must feel 
himself effectually refuted, by the revelations of his 
own oracle, which emphatically declare that five dis- 
tinct, (though doubtless petty) monarchies were al- 
ready established, within the limits of the land of 
promise; beside a much greater number upon its 
immediate borders: And to which may be added an 
enumeration of cities, emulating both the antiquity 
and population of the oldest and greatest of gray- 
haired Egypt. 

Notwithstanding the foregoing account is particu- 
larly qbnoxious to the severest criticism, it may, nev- 
ertheless, be deemed the veriest sublimation of con- 
sistency, when compared with that given in the fol- 
lowing chapter, Gen. 14; wherein it is recorded, that 
the several kings of the earliest and most numerously 
populated countries of Asia, combined their military 
forces, in a marauding expedition of a thousand 
miles, against a half dozen tribes of Canaanitish sava- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 157 

ges. And you will allow me here to express my 
doubts, whether the writer, compiler, translator, or 
any credentive individual of its millions of readers, 
has ever seriously contemplated the absurdities of this 
particular chapter, which ought to have shamed Mun- 
chausen himself, had he been its reader, out of his 
comparatively puny attempts at the marvelous and 
absurd. 

Here are four kings, represented as personally lea- 
ving their own fertile, rich and populated plains, in- 
cluding an aggregate territory of more than twenty- 
two thousand square miles, or nearly thirty times the 
area of all Judea, in order to prosecute, at least, a 
twelve-month's expedition against, what must have 
been, at that time, and with them, unheard of kings 
and nations; and that with an army, although nations 
had combined to form it, so verily contemptible, that 
the tythe of a single household was able to conquer 
and disperse it, with as much safety and expedition, as 
though it were a flock of sheep. 

It is also said, that this combined army of Persians, 
Chaldeans, Assyrians, &c, passed entirely through 
the land of Canaan, from north to south, by the way 
of Ham, Ashteroth Karnaim, Kiriathairn and Mount 
Seir, unto El-paran, or God of beauty, which is by 
the wilderness, (of Paran) a place, by the by, whose 
locality is not anywhere designated; pillage and ex- 
termination, meanwhile, marking their murderous 
progress; that they returned, (from where is only to 
be imagined) and came to En-mishpat, which is Ka- 
desh, or the Waters of strife, noted as being about 



158 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

fifteen miles west of Mount Hor, in the desert of 
Zin, more than a hundred miles of reputedly imprac- 
ticable desert intervening, between it and the nearest 
boundary of the land of Canaan. And what sent 
them there, neither human nor superhuman sense has 
ventured to suggest. But what is most singular is, 
that while there, they shall have destroyed two na- 
tions, or tribes in different directions, and at very 
considerable distances. And thus it reads: "And 
they returned and came to En-mishpat, which is Ka- 
desh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, 
and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar." 
Now, this text appears not to be susceptible of any 
other plausible interpretation than the following, viz: 
First, That these invaders came upon Kadesh, on 
their return. The query, therefore is, from whence? 
And the answer is to be found, if anywhere, in the 
immediate context, which reads thus: " And in. the 
fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings 
that were with him, and smote the Rephaims, or 
giants, in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims., or 
door-posts, in Ham, and the Emims, or terrors, in 
Shaven Kiriathim, and the Horites in their mount 
Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness," 
And they returned to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh. 
Here then, lies the difficulty with our first proposition; 
that En-mishpat, or Kadesh, is a great way farther 
from Canaan, than any part of the wilderness (of Pa- 
ran) by which El-paran is said to have been situated; 
and, therefore, not very conveniently fallen upon, in 
the manner described- Nor, second, can it bo more 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 159 

satisfactorily settled, by an arbitrary transfer of the 
wilderness of Zin, upon whose easterly border Kadesh 
is situated, to an unnatural position between Idumea 
and the country of Ainalek. For it would be passing 
strange that the Amorites, who dwelt in Hazezon-ta- 
mar, should be destroyed at Kadesh, situated, at least 
sixty miles south of it; and, according to a very plain 
interpretation, not less than one hundred and forty, 
with an extenstve intervening wilderness: Or, to 
adopt a vulgar truism, it appears quite improbable, 
that these marauders destroyed men and places where 
they were not. 

This story then, in plain English, reads thus: The 
invading army passed through the land of Canaan, 
from north-east, to south-west; thence south-east, 
through the territories of the Amalekites and Idurne- 
ans, to Eu-mishpat, upon the east border of the desert 
of Zin, a distance from Canaan, as we have already 
seen, of, at least, a hundred miles, having left the 
desert of Paran on their right. That here, they de- 
stroyed the Amalekites, situated a hundred miles to 
the north-west; and also the Amorites at the north- 
west extremity of the Dead sea, and little less than a 
hundred miles, by any practicable route, from the de- 
voted city of Sodom. Hence the enemy must have 
passed and repassed, both Sodom and Gomorrah; and 
subsequently, retraced the aforesaid distance, [admit- 
ting that they committed depredations at Hazezon- 
tamar,] in order to sack these two great cities, which it 
appears, they effectually accomplished. And all this 
protracted, successive, murderous invasion prosecuted 



160 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

hi the very neighborhood of Abram, without his being 
apprised of such an expedition, until (t there came 
one, that had escaped," and told him of the overthrow 
and ravage of the cities; and also of the capture and 
abduction of his nephew Lot. 

" And when Abram heard that his brother (nephew) 
was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, 
born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen," 
&c. And in this there seems to be an inconsistency, 
that must puzzle the very necromancy of Theology to 
rectify. How is it possible, it may be asked, that 
Abram should have had three hundred and eighteen 
men of war born in his«own house, which requires 
the admission of an equal number of coeval females; 
so that of persons of all ages, required in the premi- 
ses, the patriarch's family must have consisted of more 
than twelve hundred. — A notable family, to be sure, 
for the time and circumstances; and yet Orthodox 
Credulity finds no difficulty in swallowing it. It may 
be further remarked of this affair, that Abram's won- 
derful defeat of the combined Asiatic army, was ef- 
fected antecedently to his cohabitation with Sarai's 
Egyptian handmaid, whose son, Ishmael, was born 
when Abram was eighty-six years old; he having, as 
Josephus relates, been driven from his home in Meso- 
potamia, by a persecution raised against his superior 
knowledge, at the age of seventy-five. The interval, 
therefore, between his emigration, in the character of 
a disinherited fortune-hunter, and his magnificent mil- 
itary exploit, can have been but about ten years. — A 
period scarcely adequate to the rearing, from birth, of 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 161 

six hundred and thirty-six persons, male and female, 
of an age fit for war, or from twenty, to fifty years. 
Nor is the difficulty susceptible of any rational solu- 
tion whatever, except upon the principle of miracu- 
lous interposition, which was neglected to be intro- 
duced upon this particular occasion. 

Upon the fictitious nonsense, about the king of Sa- 
lem, we may be allowed to present Theology with 
the following interrogation. And who was this won- 
derful Melchizedek — and whence and wherefore, this 
archetype of Christ — this reference and exemplar of 
all future piety — this righteous king and priest of the 
most high God, presiding over a Gentile people, with 
whom God was a stranger; and to whom even his 
name was yet unknown, and who were already sen- 
tenced to extermination, for their incorrigible, prede- 
termined impiety, which God himself was unable, or 
unwilling to reform. 

To contemplate this righteous, unbegotten, unpro- 
creant king of a tribe of pagan savages, in the char- 
acter of high-priest of an undeveloped theology; and 
offering sacrifice in the unknown name of an unknown 
God, appears not much unlike the Genius of future 
science seeking a Golgotha, as the theater of its lite- 
rary enterprise. 

Again, Gen. 15, 13, " And he (God) 'said unto 
Abram, know of a surety, that thy seed shall be a 
stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve 
them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years." 

Now this declaration of thevAlmighty must be ad- 
mitted to refer to the subjugation of the Israelites, in 

20 



162 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

Egypt, some two hundred years after, or to no event 
that human history has ever recorded. 

This period of four hundred years is not that, how- 
ever, to which the Scriptures testify. At Ex. 12. 40, 
it thus reads: " Now the sojourning of the children 
of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and 
thirty years." And a corresponding declaration, in 
the character of a reference, is found at Gal. 3, 17. 
And as though it were intended to establish a palpable 
disagreement of relation, a reference, in Acts 7, 6, is 
also made to the period of four hundred years. Nor 
is the difficulty at all alleviated by a reference to the 
narrative of the Jewish historian, whose authority, 
especially upon the point in question, should not be 
treated with indifference. He says that the whole 
period, from Abram's gcing out of Haran of Meso- 
potamia, to the exodus of the Israelites, was four 
hundred and thirty years; the half of which, or two 
hundred and fifteen years only, were expended in the 
latter place. Nor is it a reasonable conclusion, that 
the Hebrews were enslaved by the Egyptians, until 
the death of Joseph, on whose account they are said 
to have been particularly favored. Now Joseph's 
death occurred when he was 110 years old, or seventy 
years after his father and family removed from Ca- 
naan to Egypt. It is hence, chronologically true, that 
the term of actual, Hebrew slavery could not have 
exceeded two hundred and fifteen years, less by the 
aforesaid seventy, or one hundred and forty-five; a 
number, essentially different from those of the Scrip- 
tures. Nor can there be a reasonable doubt, that the 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 163 

Jewish historian's is the most reasonable account. 
For there were but three generations between Jacob 
and Moses, viz., Levi, Kohath and Araram, which, 
if we allow the most reasonable term of forty-five 
years for each, will amount to one hundred and thirty- 
five, adding to which eighty, the age of Moses at the 
time of the exodus, we have two hundred and fifteen; 
the number of years appropriated by Josephus; and., 
doubtless, the most satisfactory conclusion, the ques- 
tion will admit of. 

Again, verse IS: " In the same day, the Lord made 
a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I 
given this land, from the river .of Egypt, unto the 
great river, the river Euphrates." How punctually, 
or consistently, this pledge of the Almighty was re- 
deemed, consonantly with its intelligible import, may 
be safely left to the decision of each individual, who 
shall have made himself, at all, acquainted with Jew- 
ish political history. The entire invalidation of the 
foregoing announcement is contained in this emphatic, 
historical declaration. That the Jews, at no time, 
from their Mosaic introduction into the land of Ca- 
naan, until their final overthrow and dispersion by the 
Roman Titus, adopted the nationalizing policy of 
colonization, or of establishing territorial possession, 
beyond the narrow, geographical limits of their own 
blessed Palestine: And that the few insignificant con- 
quests, they were enabled to effect in Syria, Arabia 
and Egypt, passed away, like the vapor of a summer 
.morning. 

We do not omit to notice the following, or 16th 



164 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

chapter, because it is barren of food for Criticism; 
but that it is too insipid to interrupt our pursuit of 
more exquisite viands, we smell amongst its younger 
relatives. All but a single comment, therefore, we 
will forego, viz: That Abram is herein represented as 
having set the first example of bigamy; which, if 
true, would seem to smack of inconsistency, in God's 
peculiar favorite — the acknowledged patriarch of the 
very Christianity by which it is prohibited. But this 
too, Theology receives, as being geometrically right; 
or right, in all its parts and bearings. And here, I 
may not omit to notice a particular corroboration of a 
former remark, that Abram's sojourn in Egypt must 
have been, at most, a short one — scarcely longer than 
to have afforded opportunity for relating his story. 
"And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar, her maid, 
the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the 
land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband, Abram^ 
to be his wife," of whom Ishmael was born the fol- 
lowing year, or when Abram was eighty six years 
old; leaving, apparently, a very inadequate opportu- 
nity for the accumulation of wealth, in Egypt. 

Again, the 8th verse of the 17th chapter reads thus: 
" And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after 
thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the 
land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession." 

That Abram shall have been deemed a stranger in 
a country, no more extensive than Canaan, over most 
of which for ten successive years, his, or his neph- 
ew's, countless animals must have roved for suste- 
nance; and through the whole length of which he had 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 165 

himself tracked an army of invaders to its utter de- 
feat and dispersion, is not a little difficult to admit. 
Nor do we think it needs but common sense and 
knowledge, to determine how very imperfectly this 
promise of the Almighty has been fulfilled. And yet 
the second-sight of Spiritualism sees, as clearly as it 
does its own infallibility, that this has been, or is to 
be, punctiliously performed. 

In the 18th chapter, it is written, verse 1st, "And 
the Lord appeared unto him" (Abraham) — verse 2d, in 
the form of three men; and verse 8th, that " they did 
eat." It really seems somewhat dissonant with the 
most improved present state of opinion, that God 
should have found it necessary to assume the form of 
three men, in order to succeed in making a single 
communication: And more especially, that these mere 
forms should have positively devoured a whole calf, 
with adequate bread and trimmings. It, unquestion- 
ably, requires a great deal of stupidity or credulity to 
believe this ghostly gormandizing! And though it is 
not scripturally asserted, that these aparitions actual- 
ly ate the whole calf; yet it is both scripturally and 
rationally admissible, that, with their almighty appe- 
tites and capacities, they might have eaten a whole 
calf, and even a whole herd, if they would — at least 
as well as to have eaten at all. 

And does it appear entirely consistent with a ration- 
al idea of God, that, as in verse 13th, the Almighty 
should have really enquired of Abram, wherefore Sa- 
rah laughed; and that too, with the eternal fore- 
knowledge, that the great-great-grandmother of the 
Son of God would answer falsely? 



166 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

At verse 14th, the question is asked, by God himself, 
11 Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" And what 
could have been more absurd than this inquiry, when 
addressed to those oriental savages? They might, 
with quite as much propriety, have been asked if they 
could calculate an eclipse, or measure the diameter of 
the sun: For they did not yet, possess the lean ad- 
vantage of the fallacies, that Moses afterwards pro- 
mulgated; and, therefore could have had no other no- 
tions of God's character, than he had already revealed 
to them. And even Moses himself seems not to have 
had mm idea of God's omnisciency, nor omnipercipi- 
ency; since, in verses 20 and 21, God is made to de- 
clare that, because of the cry of Sodom and Gomor- 
rah, and of their very grievous sin, " I will go down 
now, and see whether they have done altogether ac- 
cording to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and 
if not, I will know." 

This language, which is impiously detractive of 
God's admissible character, could never have been 
adopted but by the extremest Ignorance or Depravi- 
ty! Nor did God ever make so contemptible a revela- 
tion of himpelf! But, to resume our acquaintance 
with God's spiritual proxies, or rather his shadowy 
self. That the three men before spoken of, were sur- 
prisingly singular personages, even for ghosts, appears 
from the following. In verse 22d it is said, in conclu- 
sion of God's determination to go down to Sodom, 
and inquire out the truth, " And the men turned their 
faces from thence and went toward Sodom." And 
meanwhile, God is prudently managing his own affairs, 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 1C7 

in his own proper person, as we learn, at the close of 
the same verse, which says, " But Abram stood yet 
before. the Lord/' And here, we find the Lord con- 
descends to stop, and hold a formal interview with 
Abraham, who presumes to prosecute a true horse- 
jockey banter with God Almighty; and when termina- 
ted, they part, upon their usual familiar, friendly 
terms, each going, leisurely, about his own business. 

In chapter 19, verse 1st, it is written, "And there 
came two angels to Sodom, at even; and Lot sat in 
the gate of Sodom. And he said, (to the two angels) 
Behold now my lords, turn in I pray you into your 
servant's house" &c. " And they said, nay; but we 
will abide in the street all night. And he pressed 
upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and 
entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and 
did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat." Here 
then, we find two of the three men, alias, angels of 
God, alias, shadows, who, in the preceding chapter, 
are said to have conversed and ate with Abraham, 
eating also with Lot; and that they, after God deter- 
mined to go down to Sodom, to learn the truth of 
what he had heard of it, " turned their faces — and 
went toward Sodom." It seems, therefore, that they 
must have lost a companion upon the way, or that 
they left him to personate God, in the aforesaid con- 
ference with Abraham. 

That Lot, a roving, Arab herdsman, with his many 
thousand cattle, and an army of domestics, requiring 
a territory for their accommodation, and who, a little 
while before, is said to have pitched his tent toward 



168 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

Sodom, (not built his house therein) should have been 
thus cooped up within the gate of the city, with no 
other household than his wife and two provident and 
precocious daughters, who were in the oddest of all 
predicaments, that of married virgins, as in Gen. 19, 
8 and 14, is a circumstance, apparently, absurd enough 
for second-adventists to believe. But perhaps you 
are, this moment, meditating a retort, in the follow- 
ing language, 14, 12. "And they took Lot, Abram's 
brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, 
and departed." And yet, before you shake your sides 
to lameness, with laughter at your conscious victory, 
just take a peep at what Josephus says about the same 
event, viz: " Now when the Sodomites joined battle 
with the Assyrians, and the fight was very obstinate, 
many of them (the Sodomites) were killed, and the 
rest were carried captive; among which captives was 
Lot, who had come to assist the Sodomites." 

But to say another word or two, of those minister- 
ing angels, or spiritual messengers of an omnipresent 
God. How strange it seems, that they shall have 
found occasion to revise their cogitations — to reverse 
their predeterminations, or expose themselves to per- 
sonal abuse, from a licentious and beastly populace, 
whom they had the power, as it would clearly seem, 
to blast with blindness, paralysis or death; according 
as their almighty pleasure was inclined. 

And do you deem it other than miraculous, that Lot 
shall have offered, so unnaturally, to sacrifice, his two 
virgin daughters, (who, by the by, were already mar- 
ried) to the diabolical concupisence of a countless 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 169 

multitude; and, especially, that such an offer shall 
have been still more unnaturally rejected? 

We further find what curious things those appari- 
tions were, who, having been repeatedly transformed, 
and retransformed, from men to angels, and also phy- 
sically employed in dragging forth the loitering family 
from destruction, were, finally, in consummation of 
the strange, unnecessary metamorphoses, sublimated 
to an individual God, whom Lot thus ventures to ad- 
dress: " O, not so my Lord!" And then proceeds to 
banter him about the place of his retreat, and with as 
good success, as did his uncle Abraham, in the former 
case; although the bargain turned out less profitably 
than Lot had probably expected : For the record says, 
he soon left Zoar, for the mountain, where it is repu- 
ted that the patriarchs of Moab and Ammon were 
more miraculously, than immaculately, begotten.- — 
This is, nevertheless, explicitly contradicted by Jose- 
phus, who says, " There (in Zoar) it was that he 
(Lot) lived a miserable life, on account of his having 
no company, and his want of provisions." 

With these remarks, which are not a tythe of those 
demanded by the absurdities of the record, but which 
are all, our alloted opportunity will allow, we shall 
pass, with but an occasional criticism, to the story of 
the Hebrew exodus. 

At Gen. 20, 1, we find that Abraham sojourned at 
Gerar, between Kadesh and Shur, which appears 
somewhat difficult of apprehension; since both the 
latter places are some miles to the south of the for- 
mer. It must have been, therefore, quite a supernal 

21 



170 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

ural circumstance, that Abraham shall have lived at 
Gerar, and, at the same time, many miles south of it. 
In this chapter, we also find a repetition of Abram's 
farcial denial of his connubial relation, and again, 
hypocritically, passing off his wife as his sister, with 
the intention of prosecuting a successful fraud, or 
basely preserving his own skin, at the expense of his 
wife's chastity. A dilemma, it would seem, that both 
God's power and warm affection for his favorite, 
should have prevented. Nor would it have required, 
that we can see, a greater miracle, than that which 
did prevent Abimelech's intended intercourse. 

Of Hagar's repudiation from Abraham's family, it 
is written, Gen. 21, 15, '-'And the water (with which 
Abraham had supplied her) was spent in the bottle, 
and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And 
she went, and sat down over against him, a good way 
off as it were a bow-shot: For she said, Let me not 
see the death of the child." And again, verse 18, 
And God said to Hagar, "Arise, lift up the lad and 
hold him in thy hand," &c. 

This narration, when fairly interpreted, presents a 
most singular phasis. 

We find by biblical chronology, that Ishmael was 
eighteen years old at the time of Hagar's repudiation; 
and therefore, in all probability, a very great baby, to 
make such childish work with; especially, that he 
lacked but two years of the period, at which the He- 
brews were made to wield the war-club. And do you 
think that Ishmael's ghost, yet conscious of its former 
patriarchal dignity, would deem it flattery, to see this 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. l7l 

item of its base biography? But this is supernatu- 
ralism; and therefore spiritually true, though literally 
as false as Satan's war in Heaven. 

In the last verse of the present chapter, we read, 
"And Abraham sojourned in the Philistine's land ma- 
ny days." 

An attempt to reconcile this with its context would be 
met with no little difficulty. For we find the places of 
Abraham's residence, after his return from Egypt to 
Canaan, to have been first, the plain of Mamre, near 
Hebron, where he remained until the destruction of 
the cities of the plain; when he is said to have jour- 
neyed from thence toward the south country, and so- 
journed in Gerar; and thence to Beer-sheba, or the 
place of profanity between Abimelech and himself, 
and where he appears to have been at the close of this 
chapter. And the following considerations are found 
to embarrass the consistency of the text, viz: All the 
forementioned places are noted in biblical maps, and 
asserted by Josephus, to have been within the limits, 
and constituting a part, of the country called Canaan, 
or Palestine. Therefore it entirely fails of being 
historically true, that Abraham ever resided in the 
land of the Philistines at all. Beside, Gerar and 
Mamre appear to have been convertible terms; hence 
we find the location spoken of as Gerar, or Mamre. 
Hence Abraham's journey from the one place, to the 
other, must have been an extremely short one ! 

Omitting to notice the several particulars of the 
senseless fable, contained in the 22d chapter, it should 
be deemed sufficient to remark of God's project to 



172 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

tempt Abraham, or, as more appropriate, to test the 
measure of his faith, that, were man the arbiter, 
some such trial might be plausibly prosecuted, in or- 
der to develope satisfactory confidence of the fact. 
But how contemptibly absurd, when Omniscience 
judges in his stead; which needs no testimony to a 
fact, that must have been an item of the aggregate of 
infinite contemplation. And yet, this question being 
of a Jewish god, I quit the point, in utter hopeless- 
ness of success. 

Again, Gen. 24, 29. " And Rebekah had a brother, 
and his name was Laban;" and at 29, 5, " And he 
(Jacob) said unto them, (the three flocks of sheep of 
course, since no persons are said to have been there) 
Know ye Laban, the son of Nahor?" 

At 24, 47, we find the following: "And I (Isaac) 
asked her (Rebekah) and said, Whose daughter art 
thou? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Na- 
hor's son, whom Milcah bear unto him." Again, at 
29, 12, "And Jacob told Rachel that he was her fath- 
er's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son." The 
plain state of all which is, that Abram, or Abraham, 
and Nahor were brothers, and married their nieces, 
the daughters of Haran. That Isaac, the son of 
Abraham, married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, 
and grand daughter of Nahor. Pursuing therefore 
the foregoing relationship, in the next or second de- 
gree. And that finally Jacob, the grand son of Abra- 
ham, married Leah and Rachel, the daaghters of La- 
ban, or grand daughters of Bethuel, and great-grand 
daughters of Nahor, the same relation being here pre- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 173 

served in the next degree. And here we leave this 
subject to be reconciled, in its several parts, by whom- 
soever, that can command the leisure and ability. 

Our opportunity not permitting us to dwell upon 
secondary topics, we are constrained to pass innu- 
merable absurdities without remark; such as Jacob's 
curious device, to defraud his father- in-law out of the 
produce of his cattle; Rachel's theft of her father's 
household gods; Jacob's meeting God's angelic host 
at Mahanaim, or place of angels, near the middle of 
Palestine, whence he "sent messengers before him to 
Esau, his brother into the land of Seii^ the country 
of Edorn," &c. &c. And wherefore he shall have 
sent messengers the distance of a hundred and forty 
miles, and into a government entirely beyond his con- 
templated residence, simply to report his childish 
tearfulness of his brother, Esau, whom he had al- 
ready succeeded in defrauding of his birthright and 
his father's blessing, seems to have been left to the 
discovery of second-sight. 

" And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a 
man with him, until the breaking of the day. And 
when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he 
touched the hollow of his thigh: and the hollow of 
Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with 
him. And he (the man) said, Let me go, for the day 
breaketh: And he (Jacob) said, I will not let thee go, 
except thou bless me," which, it seems he did; and 
therefore ■" Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 
for I have seen God face to face, and my life is pre- 
served." Now, do you think that this adventure be- 



174 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

tween Jacob and God Almighty, in the form and phys- 
ical character of humanity, actually, or literally oc- 
curred? 

Does it not seem most strange, nor less contempti- 
ble, that such puerile notions of a Deity shall ever 
have prevailed among mankind, as that he banters, 
speculates and wrestles with his creatures, as man 
with man, or rather clown with clown? And these 
are beauties that religious Faith would wed and hug, 
as though they were the very life of paradise it hopes 
for. 

And is it probable, seeing there was no miracle in 
the case, that Jacob pursued his journey, so immedi- 
ately and well, with an unreduced luxation of his 
thigh, by which it seems, however, God made him 
permanently a cripple? And was it really generous 
in God, to leave his friend in such predicament? 

The story of Dinah's ravishment is too absurd to 
pass unnoticed; and yet we cannot stop to pay it half 
the compliment it deserves. 

Chronologically, Leah was given to Jacob in the 
year 1758 before Christ; and Dinah's ravishment per- 
petrated in 1732, B. C. If, therefore, Reuben, Leah's 
eldest son, was born one year after the former date, 
he will have been nineteen years old, at the time of 
his sister's insult. 

And if we take the case of Isaac, as a precedent of 
the age, at which infants were, at that time weaned, 
we shall have Simeon to be near five years younger, 
or fifteen, at the uttermost, at the period above allu- 
ded to; and, by the same rule, Levi, Leah's third 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 175 

son, would have been but ten years old. And yet, we 
are bound to believe, (the story of Ishmael to the con- 
trary notwithstanding,) that these two infants, " Sim- 
eon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his 
sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the 
males. And they slew Hamor, and Shechem his son, 
with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of 
Shechem's house, and went out." But the gist of 
this affair is not yet exposed. For, by the rule adopt- 
ed for the interval between the births of children, 
Dinah must have been at the time in question several 
years unborn; And, at the most accommodating calcu- 
lation, she could not have exceeded four years. Rath- 
er young to have been the subject of that species of 
abuse! Nor ought we to omit the expression of our 
deepest can tempt for the fraud, these children of God 
practiced upon the credulous House of Hamor. 

Passing over the story of Joseph and its connections, 
with the frank avowal, that, with all its faults, (and 
they are as numerous as even Scepticism could wish,) 
it is, nevertheless, particularly creditable, amongst its 
baser relatives, we will sit down, deliberately, to the 
task of criticising the wonderful story of the Hebrew 
Exodus. 

And first, of the course of miracles instituted by 
God, in order to induce Pharaoh to release the He- 
brews from bondage. We find at Ex. 1, 22, a decree 
of Pharaoh, cc That every son that is born, ye shall 
cast into the river," and that Moses was preserved by 
a breach of it, while Aaron being born four years ear- 
lier, escaped its application. Several entire chapters 



176 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

of this book are appropriated to an account of mira- 
cles — wrought by God and the Egyptian sorcerers — a 
contest most obstinately and successfully prosecuted, 
for one, wherein the parties were so amazingly une- 
qual. We find, for several trials, that God's advan- 
tage was unessential; until, at length, he came to the 
finer work of making lice, to which it seems the gross 
machinery of the sorcerers was not adapted. 

And yet we think it strange, that those magicians 
should have failed, at all, even against the Deity, with 
the power they are admitted to have had: For it 
seems that nothing less than Omnipotence could make 
a frog. In this case, therefore, the admission is too 
little or too much — since he who could really produce 
a frog, could scarcely fail to make whatever else he 
might intend. And then this whole parade must have 
been no better than a farce, or fiction, whilst, if mira- 
cles were possible, a single one, and less than these, 
had it been wrought on Pharaoh's obstinacy, to soften, 
not to harden, might have superseded all this cata- 
logue; and answered quite as well, except the nice 
excuse God found in Pharaoh's obstinacy, for damn- 
ing him most heartily. 

Another striking inconsistency, in this old, witless 
tale, appears in this. Notwithstanding God had, al- 
ready, turned all the waters of Egypt, to blood, so 
that " the fish died, and all the river stank," yet it is 
said the magicians did the same with their enchant- 
ments. And we ask what waters, not already changed 
to blood, they could have found, on which to operate? 
And again, while Egypt was so immersed in frogs, as 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 177 

that they croaked and skipped from kneading-trough 
to oven* how was it accurately determined that the 
magicians had also made their share? And then 
again, the strangest oversight is here. The hail, most 
wonderfully thick and large, destroys both man and 
beast unsheltered, and also, all of living vegetation 
except in Goshen, where the Hebrews were: And yet 
the locusts came; nor were restrained from eating up 
the last and least green vestige that remained, through- 
out the whole of Egypt. 

Another oversight appears in this. That God, hav- 
ing sent a murrain, of which all the cattle of Egypt 
died, he then sent, thoughtlessly, a storm of hail to 
do the work already done. And still, as though he 
were forgetful, or insane, he swears to smite the first 
born of the whole, upon the evening of his memora- 
ble passover. 

But what insufferable slander should we deem the 
following, were it of any other, than a Hebrew god! 
£x. 12, 13. "And the blood (upon the door-posts) 
shall be to you for a token upon the houses where 
you (the Hebrews) are; and when I see the blood, I 
will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon 
you, to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt/' 
What could be said, in deeper derogation of God's 
omniscieney, than that he should need such bloody 
signal, to save him from mistake? And what worse 
slander of his justice, than to charge him, as in 11, 2, 
of having said to Moses, " Speak now in the ears of 
the people, and let every man borrow of his neigh- 
bor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of sif- 

22' 



178 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

ver and jewels of gold;" 5 except that he shall have 
beeu accused, as in verse 3d, of directly participating 
of the fraud, by "giving the people (Hebrews) favor 
in the sight of the Egyptians?" Or, as in 12. 36, that 
he shall have given "the people favor in the sight of 
the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things 
as they required: and they spoiled the Egyptians." 

It was entirely unnecessary that the writer of the 
pentateuch should have revealed the aforesaid slan- 
ders of his god, since fraud and inconsistency are con- 
sonant with his general character; and that, beside, 
the Egyptians would never have been thus defrauded 
by their slaves, had not their stupor been miraculous. 

And again, verse 37, "And the children of Israel 
journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hun- 
dred thousand on foot, that were men, beside children." 

Upon this extraordinary item of Jewish history, 
our first object is, to establish, by a careful compari- 
son of testimony, and an unprejudiced, and even lib- 
eral computation, the most probable number of per- 
sons and animals, included in this memorable exodus. 

First then, we find several biblical declarations, 
more or less explicit upon the point in question; our 
text being first in order. And next in order is Ex. 1, 46, 
"Even all they that were numbered (of an age fit for 
war) were six hundred and three thousand five hundred 
and fifty." And also as enumerated by tribes, 2, 32, 
" These are those which were numbered of the chil- 
dren of Israel, by the house of their fathers: all those 
that were numbered of the camps, throughout their 
hosts; were six hundred thousand, and three tbou- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 179 

sand, and five hundred and fifty. But the Levites 
were not numbered among the children of Israel;" 
they not being included, more than women, in the list 
ef warriors. And in corroboration we may be allowed 
to introduce the testimony of Josephus; who says: 
" Now the entire multiude of those that went out, in- 
cluding the women and children, was not easy to be 
numbered, but those that were of an age fit for war" 
(from twenty to fifty) "were six hundred thousand." 
If, therefore, we adopt the number explicitly given in 
the Scriptures, we have first, of the class of warriors, 
603,550, who were of an age between 20 and 50 years. 
Nor can there be found either fact or reason, against 
there having been an equal number of coeval females, 
or 603,550. And of both males and females, above 
and below the foregoing numbers, (seeing that 120 
years were established as the period of human life,) 
it must be sufficiently liberal to estimate them at an 
equal number, or 1,207,100; to which the Levites are 
yet to be added. To this point we find at Num. 3, 29, 
that, " All that were numbered of the Levites, which 
Moses and Aaron numbered at the command of the 
Lord, throughout their families, all the males from a 
month old and upward, were twenty and two thou- 
sand;" to which should, most reasonably, be added as 
many females, making an aggregate of 44,000. Which 
several numbers, being added together, amount to 
2,458,200 as the least probable aggregate of persons, 
concerned in this event; not including the indefinite 
" mixed multitude, that went up also with them." 
And of the flocks and herds, they are said to have 



180 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

driven forth, it would be erroneous to say, as in Ex. 
If, 38, that "there went up with them even very 
much cattle," unless each family possessed a number 
of animals of all sorts, double that of its human indi- 
viduals. And even this with them, both for food and 
sacrifice, and also, stocking Canaan in the end, would 
be a state of poverty indeed. It is, therefore, more 
than generous, to compute their number thus; or at 
4,912,200, which, added to the aggregate of persons, 
is, 7,374,300 individuals, of both men and beasts, go- 
ing out together, from the land of Egypt. And here, 
we are met by a difficulty, not very easily surmount- 
ed, viz., the surprising expedition with which they 
marched from Rameses to the Red Sea, i. e. a dis- 
tance, by the biblical map, of about one hundred ancj 
twenty miles in three days, and that too, through a 
district, of which Josephus says, cc And, indeed, that 
land was difficult to be traveled over, not only by ar- 
mies, but by single persons." 

Now, we find no intimation, that the manner, or ra- 
pidity of the Hebrew's march, wa»c miraculously as- 
sisted, whatever other circumstances may have been 
thus modified. These, therefore, are subjects of law- 
ful criticism; which may be handled alike, without 
mittens, and without the guilt of blasphemy, however 
justly chargeable with heresy. 

To the validity of the record, that these 7,374,300 
individuals actually commenced their march from 
Rameses, on the morning after the passover, and, 
more especially, harnessed, or by fives, and at eve- 
ning encamped at Succoth, a distance of about forty 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 181 

miles, there is at least one very obstinate objection, 
viz: That, in that form of march, admitting, them all 
to be well disciplined soldiers, and proceeding in line, 
allowing two feet for each platoon, they would have 
extended, from front to rear, but little less than nine 
hundred miles. 

And, admitting the eligibility of the country, and 
that they really marched in platoons of forty individ- 
uals abreast, they would still have occupied a dis- 
tance of one hundred and eleven miles; at which es- 
timate (whereby we yield eight hundred per cent of 
our rightful advantage) the case would, then, stand 
thus. The first platoon having commenced its march, 
at Rameses, and proceeded at the quickest rate of 
military progression, would have required twenty 
hours of incessant marching, to reach its destined 
Succoth. And yet, being followed by the rest, in the 
manner indicated, but little more than a third of this 
living immensity will have started. And ere the last 
platoon can have removed a step from Rameses, the 
first must have been nearly at the sea, and have been 
marching at the very swiftest rate, and unremittingly, 
but little less than five whole days, or from sunrise un- 
til sunset each. Hence, the rear platoon would not 
have'reached the sea, until near the close of the tenth 
day. - 

It is, therefore, apparently impossible, to reconcile 
the story, with the circumstances it inevitably involves. 

Another objection here, importunately obtrudes. 
Did Pharaoh repeal the prudent ordinance, from 
which Moses, in his infancy, so marvelously escaped ? 



182 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 



If so, why has Inspiration neglected to reveal it, and 
hence afford another hook for Scepticism to hang up- 
on? And if not. the conclusion is resistless, that Mo- 
ses was the youngest Hebrew living (some rare eva- 
sions of the law excepted) at the time of this strange 
exodus. 

And still another, somewhat unyielding difficulty 
comes up, from out this fertile mass of tradipnary 
rottenness. 

We find the Hebrews to have numbered two mill- 
ions, four hundred fifty-eight thousand and two hun- 
dred. And that this immense population shall have 
proceeded from the seventy Israelites of Jacob's tribe, 
is what we should sooner chaw upon, than undertake 
to swallow whole. 

Allowing these seventy persons to have doubled 
each twenty years, during the period of their residence 
in Egypt— which is not only a more rapid increase, 
than a state of cruel slavery, would justify, but than 
any other history has ever recorded, the whole num- 
ber at the time of their exodus would have been fifty- 
five thousand six hundred and eighty. Or a little 
more than one eleventh of the Hebrew warriors. 

And still, to doubt that this is veritably God's reve- 
lation of a literal occurrence, is deemed unpardonable 
heresy, for which its subject should be physically 
kicked, and spiritually damned. — At least, so seems 
good orthodoxy to consider it; and wonders that God 
should be so dilatoiw, in his almighty retribution. 

And here, at the threshold of our inquiry into the 
absurdities of Judaism, our already expended oppor- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS, 183 

tunity admonishes me that a close of this discourse is 
indispensable. And hence the residue of this He- 
brew miscellany, compiled of fabulous traditions* 
senseless theology, exagerated* partial civil-history, 
moral allegories, tracts and dogmas, with much sub- 
lime and graphic poetry, must pass untouched, and 
scarcely pointed at. 

However discourteous, or even diabolical; it may 
be deemed by Christien Superstitionists, I am, never- 
theless, constrained, in obedience to my deep contempt 
of its recorded, superstitious fatuities, to pass over 
the entire book of Leviticus, with this single critical 
remark, viz: That Reason may fret herself to mad- 
ness, before she finds a mode of reconciling its for- 
malities with any higher views of God or Nature., 
than those, a savage Superstition would engender; 
And, as contrasted with Gospel principles? must have 
been the senseless institutions of a different God; or 
else a stranger thing must be admitted, than that of 
seperate Gods, for Jew and Christian; I mean, the 
acquisition, by the Jewish one, of so much wisdom 
and consistency, as would constitute respectable hu- 
manity ! 

Of Deuteronomy I would say more? and less con- 
temptuously, were not my opportunity expended. But 
as it is, I may venture Upon a single question. In 
contemplation of the Jewish, civil code, do you feel 
disposed to its adoption, as a substitute for that you 
have; or its author, as your executive, rather than 
elect one from among yourselves? Or rather, do 
you not most heartily contemn that antiquated, blood- 
less mummy, that literary death's head, that Platonisna 



134 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

has lugged along, to frighten fools and children with. 

Of God's extreme civility to Joshua, much com- 
ment might be divertingly expended, were it admissi- 
ble; nor less than volumes upon the book containing 
his biography. But we can only stop to ask, if you 
believe God taught such bungling astronomy, as this 
stupid fable indicates? Or that he was so lame in al- 
mighty calculation, as to adopt a plan, for Joshua's 
benefit, by which the world must have been physical- 
ly deranged, instead of a dozen others, not less effi- 
cient, and that common-sense would sanction! 

Upon the farce, (Judg. 6, 37) between God and Gid- 
eon, about the miraculous bedewing the fleece of 
wool, I would not even waste contempt. 

What strange unnatral thing, was that old giant. 
Sampson, whose strength, so commonly of flesh and 
bone, resided so entirely in his hair. Nor was Deli- 
lah's method to effect her object, less odd than Samp- 
son's constitution ! 

In the 11th chapter of Samuel, we find the history 
of an event, although not reputedly miraculous, appa- 
rently, too superhuman to have been otherwise ac- 
complished. We are here told, that messengers were 
sent from Jabesh Gilead to Gibeah, soliciting the aid 
of Saul. To whom he replied, "To-morrow, by the 
time the sun be hot, ye shall have help." And so 
punctual was Joshua, that he collected, from all Israel 
and Judah 330,000 warriors, (in no time) and marched 
them in a single night, a distance, by any practicable 
route, of at least 60 miles, and fell upon the enemy at 
Jabesh, before sunrise, the next morning, And thus 
stands the character of the objects of religious faith 



LECTURE VI. 

OF THE ORIGIN AND CHARACTER OF CHRISTIANITY 
AND THE GOSPEL. 

Suspect not your humble servant of standing here, 
as a malicious impugner of Christianity, or its adopted 
oracle; nor charge me with insincerity, while I, em- 
phatically, avow my preference for the Gospel, wheth- 
er of style or sentiment, to any other tract, of human, 
or superhuman, origin. And yet, to yield entire as- 
sent to its utter infallibility, is not consistent with my 
present views. Nor is it dissonant with its own ex- 
plicit teaching, that we should, not merely adopt opin- 
ions honestly, but that we should carefully test them, 
by the exercise of reason. 

Not having a moment's opportunity to spare upon a 
preface, we may claim to be excused that want of 
etiquette; and, therefore, unreproached, fall, warmly 
and abruputly, at our work. 

Of the origin of Christianity, we are too poor in 
historical evidence, to forego the use of much hypo- 
thesis; and hence, we hope for pardon, for its subse- 
quent adoption. 

23 



186 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS, 

That Christianity is quite as old, as itself has 
claimed, (and we doubt not older still) should be, at 
once, accorded to all its advocates, who hope to make 
it their advantage. 

Our first hypothesis is this. That Christianity 
originated in Platonism, or, indeed, is but that, suc- 
cessively and variously modified. 

And, in support of this opinion, we adduce the fol- 
lowing circumstances. 

Plato is universally known, where learning has been 
taught, as the Grecian prophet, or man of God. — As 
having amplified, as well as mystified, the theological 
crudities of his teacher, Socrates; and finally wrought 
them into an elaborate system of incomprehensible 
Spiritualism, which we assume to have been adopted 
bp the Jewish sect of philosophers, denominated Es- 
sens, of which Philo appears to have been an eminent 
disciple. 

Platonism was promulgated, in Greece, a little less 
than four hundred years before the Christian era, and 
became the uncontested criterion, or test, of all exist- 
ing literature, until Aristotle's almost superhuman 
strength pulled the academic from the clouds, and 
used him up as condiment to common matter. 

That Platonism, introduced thus early into Greece, 
should not have found its way the little distance from 
Athens to Judea, some time before the Christian era, 
is too unnatural to be the subject of a doubt. And 
history explicitly informs us, that this philosophy was 
inculcated in Judea, during the reign of the Ptole- 
mies, and imported from the Alexandrian schooL 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 187 

And still it could not have retained its name of Pla- 
tonism, among the Jews, or Joseph us would, most 
certainly, have noticed it; and therefore it must have 
had some other epithet. 

It cannot well be doubted, that the Jewish sect, 
called Essens, from its character and habits, was iden- 
tical with Platonism. 

And yet, its origin is, historically, a mystery. This 
sect is unquestionably referred to in the apocryphal 
writings denominated Maccabees, more than 160 years 
before the present era. And Josephus, who makes 
no reference to its origin, says it had existed for a long 
time, previous to the date of his writing. 

We are also informed, that Philo, the learned Jew, 
was a most devout disciple of new, or modified, Pla- 
tonism, or Eclecticism, which, in their time, appear to 
have heen convertible terms, and that he was, as be- 
fore remarked, a member of the sect of Essens also. 

Having thus assumed what it is impossible, at this 
long after time, to prove, that ,Platonism Avas called 
Essenism in Judea, we will now proceed to test its 
claims as mother of Christianity. 

Josephus informs us that the sect of Essens existed 
in his own time; and gives the . following account of 
their religious principles and conduct. 

They hold that all things are best ascribed to God. 
That man consists of body and soul, the first corrupti- 
ble, the last immortal; and that the rewards of right- 
eousness are to be earnestly striven for. That, though 
they send presents to the temple, they offer up no sa- 
crifices, but have more pure lustrations of their own; 



188 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

(or sacrifices of the heart) on which account they are 
prohibited the temple, and therefore sacrifice, or wor- 
ship, by themselves. 

They also live a better life than other men, and ad- 
dict themselves entirely to husbandry. They excel, to 
admiration, all other men in virtue; theirs not being 
common virtue, but real righteousness, and such as 
never hath appeared among others, either barbarian 
or Greek, not even for a little time, and yet it hath 
long endured among them. They have all things in 
common; and stewards are appointed to distribute 
equally to all, according to their necessities. 

They reject pleasure, as an evil, but esteem conti- 
nence and conquest of the passions as virtue. They 
choose not to marry, and only consent to it, on the 
principle of necessity, in perpetuating the species. 
They guard against the laciviousness of women, of 
whose fidelity they are suspicious. They despise 
riches, and are communicative to admiration. They 
have no one certain city, but many of them dwell in 
every city, and wherever they are, they partake of 
whatever they need, as though it were their own; and 
therefore carry nothing with them, when they travel 
into remote parts; though still they take their weapons 
with them, for fear of thieves. They neither discard 
nor change their clothes or shoes, until they are en- 
tirely worn out, or torn, to pieces. They neither buy 
nor sell between each other, but make such exchanges, 
as will best accommodate; and are allowed to take 
from each other, whatever they may need, as though 
it were their own. Their extraordinary piety con- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 189 

strains them to keep a strict silence about profane 
matters, until sunrise, employing their time, mean- 
while^ in prayers and supplications, when they go, in- 
dustriously and faithfully to their several employ- 
ments. They are fond of clothing themselves in 
white veils; and punctilious in the practice of bathing 
their bodies in cold water. They are particular to 
have grace said before and after meals, praising their 
God as the author of the benefaction. They permit 
no clamor, nor disturbance, to pollute their houses, 
but permit every one to speak in his turn. They are 
eminent for sobriety and fidelity, and are ministers of 
peace. They dispense their anger with perfect just- 
ice, and restrain their passions within proper bounds. 
They condemn swearing as being worse than perjury, 
and hold their mere word more binding than an oath. 
They study attentively, the writings of the ancients, 
and choose from them, whatever they deem most ad- 
vantageous to their souls and bodies. They do not 
admit their proselytes to full membership, at once; 
but adopt them on trial for a year, presenting them, at 
the same time, a hatchet, a girdle, and a white gar- 
ment: And if they succeed in their observances, to 
the satisfaction of the sect, they then participate of 
the waters of purification. They are so strict obser- 
vers of the seventh day, as a day of rest, that they 
not only refrain from their ordinary labors, but pre- 
pare their food beforehand, that they may avoid even 
the kindling a fire. They believe, like the Greeks, in 
a future spiritual retribution — that the souls of the 
just retire to a state of extatic happiness, while those 
the wicked are subjects of an em'less torment. 



190 THEOLOGICAL, CRITICISMS. 

We find, at the commencement of the present era, 
that there were three prominent philosophic sects, as 
they were called, among the Jews; but which, with 
us, would be denominated religious sects. These 
were the Pharisees, or disciples of Reason, despisers 
of luxury and ostentation; respecters of age, believers 
in spiritual immortality, and future reward and pun- 
ishment, according to the virtuous or vicious charac- 
ter of the recipient. They believed that all things were 
governed by fate, except the actions and thoughts of 
mankind, which they considered free. 

The second sect w r as the Saducees, or aristocrisy; 
disbelievers in immortality, and strict observers of 
the Mosaic law. 

Of the third sect, or Essens, we have already spo- 
ken. 

Now, of these three sects, we may very reasonably 
conclude, judging by the manner in which Josephus 
treats them, that the Essen, was a very numerous and 
popular sect, as late as seventy years after the reputed 
birth of Christ, or near forty years after his crucifix- 
ion. And, therefore, were not this the sect, known, 
subsequently as Christian, a most singular phenome- 
non is thus developed in the fact, that there is not a 
single reference, within the pages of the Testament, 
to such a sect, nor even to such a name. 

On what principle, therefore, except the one sug- 
gested, can this anomaly be accounted for? By what 
strange, yet secret, providence or catastrophe, did 
such a numerous and interesting sect become, so sud- 
denly, extinguished? Indeed, we find the eulogy of 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 191 

Josephus to have been written near forty years after 
Christ's reputed mission; and still this sect existed. 

And whoever shall carefully compare Josephus' ac- 
count of it, with the apostolic Acts, and yet is uncon- 
vinced that Christians and Essens were identical, 
must, we think, be blinded by his prejudices. There 
seems, in truth, no chance for reasonable dissent. 

But, not having time, at present, to note the partic- 
ulars of their agreement, I must, therefore, leave you 
to make the examination for yourselves, with this ad- 
ditional suggestion. — That, in forming your conclu- 
sion, you will make all proper allowance for want of 
uniformity, that an admission of successive modifica- 
tion would demand. 

On account of the barrenness of our subject, in the 
article of positive testimony, upon the question of the 
origin of Christianity, we are thrown upon the em- 
barrassing resource, of relying upon negative circum- 
stances, as evidence in our own behalf. And, to this 
point, but a few moments can be appropriated. 

First then, of Philo, the Jew, who was born seve- 
ral years before the Christian era. 

Whilst be talked familiarly of the Logos, or wis- 4 
dom of God, as having planned, the universe, and su- 
perintended its phenomena; and as being adequate 
and available to man's extremest temporal and spirit- 
ual good, we still hear nothing of this miraculous re- 
former, denominated. Christ, or God incarnate. Nor 
yet a hint of Christian reformation, nor its wonderful, 
or miraculous associates. And that no opportunity 
for information, could have been more favorable than 



192 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

his, is evinced, most clearly, from the several circum- 
stances of character, situation and cotemporality . The 
latter circumstance being fully established, by the his- 
torical fact; that in A. D. 42, or eight years after the 
reputed crucifixion, he was selected by his country- 
men, as embassador to Rome, being esteemed the 
most learned and eloquent of his nation. 

Now, do you think it, at all, reasonable, that the 
most literary and popular scholar in Judea, and living 
cotemporaneously with so extraordinary a personage, 
as Christ is represented to have been, and necessarily, 
from his situation, an attendant spectator of more or 
less of the extraordinary phenomena, said to have ac- 
companied his supernatural mission, and what is 
more, a brother Jew, by birth and parentage, would 
have observed, in all his writings, so profound a si- 
lence, as he appears to have done? 

If so, it can scarcely be disputed, that your preju- 
dice has stupified your reason. 

Plutarch comes next, to tell the world of his re- 
proachful ignorance, or willful, base suppression of 
the truth: For, in his ample, labored writings, neither 
the name of Christ, nor Christian can be found. And 
yet this greatest Grecian scholar of his time, was 
born but fifty years, after Christ, or but seventeen after 
his notorious miracles and crucifixion. Nor could he, 
well, have evaded knowing quite as much of these 
events, under circumstances no less favorable, as did 
the Roman Pliny, who, doubtless, has been made to 
say, while dead, what he never even dreamed of while 
alive. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 193 

We next, presume upon the testimony of Joseph us, 
the eminent Jewish historian, whose ghost is doubt- 
less yet reproaching, with its shadowy scowls, that of 
every hooded Romanist, that lands on yonder side the 
river Styx, for having made his book tell lies, of which 
his living self would have been most heartily ashamed, 

This most eminent scholar of his time, whether of 
Judea, Greece or Rome, we find was born A. D. 
37, or four years after the Logos had closed its per- 
sonal, earthly, mission: And yet, with all this, best, 
possible, opportunity for knowledge, of all his learned 
countrymen, (Philo, or Paul, alone, excepted,) he 
has observed the strictest silence, unless the best, and 
most, of modern scholars are entirely mistaken, upon 
the question of a supposed interpolation in this au- 
thor's book. 

That the single sentence, of all the work, appro« 
priated to this momentous subject, is an interpolation 
by the Romish clergy, who propagated, unblushingly, 
the damnable, but church-saving doctrine, that false- 
hood is commendable, whenever it contributes to the 
interest of religion, is a plausible conclusion, at least. 

In corroboration of this opinion, we have that of 
the most ingenious Christian philosopher of the last 
century, Father James Henry Bernardine; patronized 
by Lous 16th, knighted by Napoleon, and pensioned 
by Joseph Bonaparte: And of whom it should be suf- 
ficient praise (were that his sole production) that he 
wrote the matchless tale, Paul and Virginia. 

This worthy, and hence extraordinary father of the 
Romish Church, remarks, and with quite his usual 

24 



194 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

emphasis, (Studies of Nature, vol. 2, p 166,) having 
already, severely, animadverted upon the dishonesty 
of those early Christian writers, through whose hands 
the ancient manuscripts had passed: "It is impossi- 
ble to adduce a more satisfactory demonstration of 
this ancient infidelity of the two parties" (meaning 
Christians and sceptics) "than an interpolation to be 
found in the writings of Flavius Josephus, who was 
cotemporary with Pliny.'*' (One of the greatest 
scholars in Rome, but. silent, we believe, upon tho 
subject in question,) " He is made to say, in so many 
words, that the Messiah was just born; and he con- 
tinues his narration, without referring, so much as 
once, to this wonderful event, to the end of a volu- 
minous history. How can it be believed that Jose- 
phus, who frequently indulges himself in a tedious 
detail of minute circumstances, relating to events of 
little importance, should not have reverted a thousand 
and a thousand times, to a birth so deeply interesting 
to his nation, considering that its very destiny was in- 
volved in that event; and that even the destruction of 
Jerusalem was only one of the consequences of the 
death of Jesus Christ? He on the contrary perverts 
the meaning of the prophecies which announce Him, 
applying them to Vespasian and Titus; for he, as 
well as the other Jews, expected a Messiah trium- 
phant. Beside had Josephus believed in Christ, 
would he not have embraced his religion?" 

And this is a quotation from a voluminous work 
designed especially to sustain the divinity of the 
Serijptures. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 195 

Tn simple courtesy, we are bound to own that, the 
religious sect, called Christians, has, undoubtedly, 
existed, and been known by that cognomen, for nearly 
eighteen hundred years, at least. The question, 
therefore, next occurring, is. When, whence, and 
wherefore was its name obtained. 

The first occurrence of the name of Christian is 
said to have been about A. D. 43, or 10 years from 
the crucifixion; as found in x\cts 11, 26, which saya, 
"the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." 

This text clearly evinces, from its particular con- 
struction, that this name was not assumed, but arbi- 
trarily, and may be tauntingly, imposed upon the sect, 
as a stigma, intended to reproach it with, like Qua- 
ker, Methodist, Holy Roller, &c, and suggested by 
some objectionable peculiarity in their creed or con- 
duct. And, if the Christian sect acquired its known 
cognomen thus; must we thence conclude it had no 
previous epithet, though countless thousands, and al- 
most daily too, are said to have been proselyted to 
this new, and strange philosophy — this revision of 
God's first attempt at creed or statute making, for 
thirteen years preceding. And had Christ been 
known, throughout Judea, as its human, or superhu- 
man author, and also as its surprisingly, if not mirac- 
ulously, successful promulgator; would those million 
proselytes have witlessly relinquished the conscious 
credit of his name, and stupidly have waited, those 
ten wmole years from his departure, in order that Re- 
proach might taunt them with an epithet? 

This would have been strange indeed, were not the 



196 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

whole an allegory: But then, the name exists, as we 
have seen, or else the record is untrue, since Saul 
and Barnabus taught Eclecticism, alias, Christianity, 
a full year at Antioch: And hence our next enquiry — 
Whence its name? Nor can we here proceed a step, 
without hypothesis; and, however weak the crutch 
on which we limp, 'tis our dilemma, to hobble thus, 
or not at all. 

The first suggestion of our friend Hypothesis is 
this. 

The Gospel is an allegory, containing the very 
cream of all the known philosophy, at its date; and 
doubtless written out by Philo, the Eclectic. Nor 
could Judea have found another Jew, nor the world, 
perhaps, another man, who could have done the thing 
so well! But that he could do it thus, we have no 
doubt, if Fame has not most falsely, nor less flatter- 
ingly treated him. We think it breathes his match- 
less style and spirit; or rather glows with superhu- 
man pathos and benignity, of which he, much more 
than other men, was master. Nor is this suggestion, 
apparautly less plausible, than that which makes il- 
literate fishermen its author. Had such obtained the 
revelation; they would scarcely have told it thus. Nor 
has superhuman Inspiration but seldom found its way 
from God to man, through such a brilliant medium. 
And hence, and also from the Logos that inspired it, 
and that Philo worshipped as the Son,orsecoud attri- 
bute of God—- as He of the trinity personified, who 
planned the world and still remains its supervisor: 
and who, m both morally preventive and recupera- 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 197 

tive salvation. Nor can we deem it less than strange, 
that any careful reader of the Gospel, who knows a 
thought of Philo's upon the point in question, should 
possibly evade our own conclusion ! 

And would you have, at once, a lucid specimen of 
our author's style, and plain acknowledgment of alle- 
gory; read, carefully, what he has uttered by fictitious 
John in chapter first, of that sublime compendium of 
all the best philosophy of man, when that compendi- 
um was written. 

" In the beginning (of the creation) was the Word 
(Logos, or wisdom of God) and the Word was with 
(an attribute of) God, and the Word was God," (in- 
finite or omniscient.) " The same (Logos) was in 
the beginning with God. All things were made (form- 
ed or planned) by him (Logos or wisdom personified.) 
And him the Logos, Word or wisdom of God, is first- 
ly made to assume a personality, it allegorically re- 
tains throughout the work. Again, " In him (Logos) 
was life; (being) and the life was the light (moral 
wisdom, or Gospel truth) of men." Verse 14th, 
"And the Word (Logos) was made flesh;" i. e. the 
wisdom of God was personified by the writer, for the 
purpose of more effectually illustrating it by practi- 
cal application to the business of human life. As an 
allegory, we think the Gospel a most transparant and 
invaluable production; while, as literal history, it is 
spiritless, insipid and even stultifying; at least to or- 
dinary common sense! 

This Gospel, Hypothesis again declares, and con- 
sonantly with the work itself, was written for the 



198 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

Jews, whom Philo, doubtless, wished to benefit, by 
this superior philosophy; and that he, most ingenious- 
ly, however unsuccessfully, adopted allegory to effect 
his purpose, which only failed, from having met with 
superstitious, Hebrew obstinacy and bigoted, Mosaic 
infallibility — the natural and inevitable result of a fic- 
titious political Theocracy. And this partiality, or 
affection, for the Jews, appears to us, much more like 
Philo, than like God; and, therefore, think it Philo's 
saying. 

That the general character, even of the Old Testa- 
ment, is allegorical, there can scarcely be a doubt 
with him, who has attentively reflected upon its moral 
tracts. The story of Joseph was doubtless fabricated, 
with the view of practically illustrating the virtue 
and effects of continence, or self command; whilst 
that of Job is equally explicit upon the point of pious 
resignation to whatever a Providence shall dispense. 
Nor can we imagine a clearer illustration of moral 
cowardice and its opposite, than is contained in 
those tracts, or allegories denominated Jonah and 
Daniel, while literally, they are subjects of derision 
or contempt. And here, the author of the Gospel 
found a precedent, sufficient to justify himself. Nor 
would any other mode, than that of allegory, have 
promised half as much success, among an ignorant 
and superstitious race. Nor did he fail, most faith- 
fully, to follow the example. In proof of which we 
make the following references. 

At the fifth chapter of Mark, we find an account of 
a maniac, which we are unable to interpret in any 
other manner, than as an allegory. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 190 

We think the writer adopted, and most appropri- 
ately too, the literal maniac, or one laboring under 
the disease of insanity, as a most fit representative-of 
him, who yields unqualified obedience to the dictates 
of his propensities. 

He is represented, in the tale, as one, on v>hom both 
common and extraordinary means of reformation and 
restraint had been expended uselessly. In fine, that 
every mean, except the Gospel influence had been 
vainly tried. 

But that the Logos failed not, even here, of its re- 
cuperative and sal vatory effect. And what a smudge 
envelopes us, whenever we most stupidly, contem- 
plate this as literally true — A. legion of itinerent, vol- 
untary devils, not only to create, but uncreate to fit 
this one occasion. 

The subject of a trinity of divinities, as deducible 
from the Gospel, is doubtless also allegorical. 

God has been long contemplated as possessed, or 
rather constitued, of three grand attributes, Power, 
Wisdom and Goodness, infinitely extended. Power 
to create — Wisdom to devise, and Goodness to direct 
the system of the universe. Nor could less than 
these have ever formed a rational idea of God in- 
deed. Power without design would be nugatory; 
whilst both power and design might be abortive or 
disastrous, without direction to a proper end. 

Almighty power, or Omnipotence personified, is 
therefore God the creator, and individual in the human 
mind — Wisdom, Logos, or omniseiency, is reflective- 
ly engendered, or begotten of omnipotence, as indis- 



200 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 



pensible to its exercise; and hence the second of the 
three personifications that constitute the trinity. — 
Goodness, or beneficence, is likewise reflectively en- 
gendered, or begotten of both power and wisdom, as 
being also indispensible to the judicious exercise of 
these; and constitutes the last of these three allegorical 
individuals, whose aggregation forms the trinitarian 
Godhead. 

Thus have we, or rather our Hypothesis, disclosed, 
and most concisely too, our notions of the when, the 
whence and wherefore of Christianity; Nor that with- 
out regret, that want of opportunity has thus restrict- 
ed us. 

We are come, at length, where Superstition would 
scowl us into silence; and that with such acerbity, as 
should turn the sweetest milk of human kindness in- 
to bonnyclabber, viz, to the question of the divinity, 
or superhuman character of the Gospel. 

Here again, w r e find ourselves upon the negative 
side of the question, where hypothesis is unavoidable, 
and plausibility the highest point attainable. And 
yet, there are numerous facts available, that stand 
much nearer, than a cousinship, to real demonstration, 
in favor of our position. 

Theology assumes, as evidence of the supernatural 
character of the Gospel, that it contains superior sen- 
timents, to those the world can have derived from 
any other source. 

This may, nevertheless, have been said much more 
in honesty than in truth. At least, we apprehend no 
difficulty in its entire invalidation, both, by extrinsic 
circumstances, and intrinsic discrepancies. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 201 

In this inquiry, we may be excused for calling up 
the Grecian Socrates, who was born near five hundred 
years before our era, to testify in our behalf. 

Socrates is said by his biographers, to have aban- 
doned all inquiries concerning the origin, and physi- 
cal phenomena of Nature, for what he deemed the 
higher, or more important departments of Religion 
and Morality. Yet, although he neglected, he did not 
despise physical or natural philosophy. But moral 
philosophy was the subject upon which he expended 
his best attention ; and wherein his success was so ex- 
traordinary, that it was said of him, " That he brought 
philosophy down from heaven, to the abodes of men." 
He was fully convinced of the existence of an invisi- 
ble Creator of the universe, a being in possession of 
almighty power, wisdom and goodness, and who rules 
the world by a providence of his own. The existence 
of this Being he believed was clearly deducible from 
the system of Nature, and, especially, from the struc- 
ture of the human frame. And that, as man is capa- 
ble of reason, its author should be much more amply 
endowed. That we should no more doubt the exist- 
ence of Deity, because he is invisible and intangible, 
than that of other powers or principles, known only 
by their effects: But he thought the question about 
the substance of the Deity, unprofitable for specula- 
tion; and that it was sufficient that we clearly appre- 
hend his spiritual nature. Though he was educated 
in polytheism, and sometimes spoke of minor deities^ 
he was still the w r orshiper of one only God, the Crea- 
tor of the world, and the Judge of mankind; and to 

25 



202 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

whose kind providence he traced all human blessings; 
and maintained, that the omniscient and omnipresent 
Deity knows everything, and observes every secret 
thought and action of mankind. And hence our duty 
to wsrship him with all our powers, (mind, might and 
strength,) and one, that he most punctually performed, 
both in public and private; and sincerely believed, 
that God made especial, divine revelations of himself 
to his sincere petitioners; and that his holy spirit 
warned them of evil and aided them in virtue He 
taught that man cannot purchase, but must merit, the 
favor of God; and that, by a blameless life, which is 
the truest and best service of the Deity: And hence 
his efforts to abrogate all sacrificial worship, to which 
his countrymen were obstinately inclined, and to 
which he became himself an offering. He considered 
prayer, essential to a virtuous life, and taught his dis- 
ciples thus to pray. " Father Jupiter," (the Grecian 
name of God) " give us all good, whether we ask it 
or not; and avert from us all evil, though we do not 
pray thee so to do," (or do not name particulars.) 
"Bless all our good actions, and reward them with suc- 
cess and happiness." He believed in the existence of 
an immaterial, immortal human soul, of divine origi- 
nal, and eternal destination; and connected with Deity 
by consciousness and reason. The improvement of 
mind he considered of paramount importance; and 
self knowledge its first department; and that he who 
knew all things else, except himself, was still a fool. 
He distinguished the soul, as sensible and reasonable; 
or, as we should say, propen'sitive and rational. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 203 

The soul's immortality he deduced from its dignity, its 
vitalizing energy, its activity in sleep, and from the 
nature of God from whom it is derived. He viewed 
death to the good, as but a transition to a better life, 
of which his hope was confident and clear, and where- 
in, he thought, with rapture, of meeting the virtuous 
of other ages.. He was fearless of death and judg- 
ment, in the consciousness of having labored after 
truth, and struggled for virtue; but believed the souls 
of wicked and licentious men were sentenced to unut- 
terable woe, in a place for the especial retribution of 
impenitent wickedness. He made religion the foun- 
dation of morality: And that, as God wishes men to 
be virtuous, they should therefore be so. He believed 
that happiness depended, solely, upon the perform- 
ance of duty; and the desire of it, he considered as 
but one of the various motives to the performance of 
virtue; and thus established an intimate connection 
between virtue and religion. He had the highest 
conceptions of thedignity of virtue; and declared do- 
minion over the senses, (propensities) to be the high- 
est state of freedom; and that virtue, only, is true 
wisdom: Whilst on the contrary, he deemed vice 
identical with insanity. See this allegorized in the 
three first Gospels, Mat. S, 28, Mark 5, 2, and Luke 
8,27. His yet unsystemized morality was founded 
upon the only true metaphysical basis, "Do what the 
Deity" (or His proxy, Conscience) "commands thee." 
And though he mistook somewhat the character and 
function of Conscience; he made it an indispensable 
attribute of the human soul, as a judge and director 



'204 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

between right and wrong. He held, that human prac- 
tice is qualified by human knowedge; and that, there- 
fore, perfect knowledge would, infallibly, insure per- 
fect happiness. He defined virtue to be the striving 
to make one's self and others as perfect as possible, 
and reduced it to the two great principles, Temperance 
and Justice; the former embracing duties we owe 
ourselves; the latter, those we owe to others. He 
defined temperance to be dominion over every sensual 
impulse; awd this he regarded as the basis of all other 
virtues, and indispensable to the proper exercise of 
Conscience and Knowledge. He held injustice to be 
one of the greatest evils ; and that perfect justice 
should be rendered equally to friends and foes; and 
that men should render obedience to the laws of their 
country, however unjustly they are administered; 
and that the golden mean (or middle way between 
the two extremes) should be carefully observed in 
every thing. 

Thus, you are presented with a summary of a No- 
tice of the great Grecian moralist, to be found in the 
American Encyclopedia, under its appropriate head; 
and in which, you can recognize, even at the distance 
of nearly 23 centuries the great moral luminary — the 
undoubted prototype of Philo's Christ, who caught 
its brilliancy, and, as brightened too by Plato's fire, 
and further burnished by the allegorical inspiration of 
the Jew, thence reflected its broad and radiant bril- 
liancy, over Europe and the world. 

We will pass, without further comment, from So- 
crates to other equally veracious, and scarcely less 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 205 

rnVportaut, testimony; and firstly, call Confucius, the 
Chinese prophet, and not less ancient than the Greek, 
to tejl what he once thought and taught, of -moral 
principle. And thus he testifies. 

That temperance, justice and the minor virtues 
are indispensable to the happiness of society. That 
riches, pomp or luxury should be -contemned, while 
the magnanimity, and greatness of soul, which make 
men incapable of dissimulation and insincerity, should 
be carefully encouraged: And that a life of reason is 
incomparably preferable to a life of pleasure, or sen- 
suality. That man possesses a reasoning seal, which 
he derived from Tien, (God) and that its cultivation 
and improvement is the highest and most useful em- 
ployment of man; and as thus improved, should be 
actively employed, in the improvement of others: 
And, in order to insure success, in the project of so- 
cial regeneration, each individual should begin with 
himself, and thereby add the weight of example to 
that of precept. We should, first, become that, 
which we would have others to be; and acquire an 
indelible love of virtue, and hatred of vice. That a 
mean, between the two extremes, should be invaria* 
bly observed, which is the essence of practical virtue* 
Nor are we willing to dismiss our Chinese witness, 
until he shall have spoken a single sentence, in his 
own impressive manner. " I am a man," said he, 
'"and cannot exclude myself from the society of men, 
and consort with beasts. Bad as the times are, I shall 
do all I can to recal men to virtue; for in virtue are 
all things, and if mankind would but once embrace it, 



200 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS, 

and submit themselves to its discipline and laws, they 
would not want me or any body else to instruct them. 
It is the duty of a good man, first to perfect himself, 
and then to perfect others. Human nature, came to 
us from heaven pure and perfect; but in process of 
time, ignorance, the passions, and evil examples cor- 
rupted it. All consists in restoring it to its primitive 
beauty; and to be perfect, we must reascend to that 
point from which we have fallen. Obey heaven, and 
follow the orders of him who governs it, Love your 
neighbor as yourself. Let your reason, and not your 
senses, be the rule of your conduct: for reason will 
teach you to think wisely, to speak prudently, and to 
behave yourself worthily upon all occasions." And 
here we find an antique brilliant, that has been lately 
dug from out the long since, mouldering relics of a 
former time; but which, with little burnishing, reflects 
the plainest image of the Gospel. 

Omitting Plato, to whom our Hypothesis has, here- 
tofore, presumed to refer, though indirectly, the ori- 
gin of Christianity, we next call up the Stoic Zeno, to 
tell what he had learned, three hundred years before 
the Christ, the Living Word, was born of Philo's 
brain, or else adopted from the Zend A vesta. 

Of Zeno and the Stoics we learn, that philosophy 
is the way to wisdom, which is itself the knowledge 
of human and divine things, and that virtue (or mo- 
rality) is its practical application to the affairs of so- 
cial life. That man should aim at divine perfection, 
as the only way to insure a virtuous life. That Rea- 
son governs (or should govern) the whole soul. That 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 207 

true happiness results from conduct, that is dictated 
by reason, and harmonizes with both God and Nature. 
That men should live in conformity to the injunctions 
of reason or the laws of animal nature. That virtue 
is the highest good, and vice the greatest evil; the for- 
mer being the harmony, and vice the discord, of man 
with himself; and/hold to the existence and wor- 
ship of one God. That the highest virtue consists in 
self denial, or the perfect control of the animal pas- 
sions. In fine, the doctrines of the Stoics, at the com- 
mencement of the present era, had acquired so near 
a resemblance to the Gospel, that they were suspected 
of having been borrowed therefrom. 

We would be indulged with the liberty of introdu- 
cing one more witness to the fact, that religious views 
even in Pagan Rome, were scarcely inferior to those 
of Christianity itself, more than seventy years before 
Christ taught the Gospel. 

The Roman Cicero, who was born one hundred and 
six years before the Christian era, expresses himself 
thus, (as the translation reads) of God and his wor- 
ship. " That we ought, above all things to be con- 
vinced that there is a Supreme Being, who presides 
over all the events of the world, and disposes of them 
as sovereign lord and arbiter: that it is to him man- 
kind are indebted for all the good they enjoy: that he 
treats the just and impious according to their respect- 
ive merits; that the true means of acquiring his favor, 
and of being pleasing in bis sight, is not by the use of 
riches and magnificence in his worship, but by pre- 
senting him with a heart pure and blameless, and by 



- 



20S THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

adoring feiin with an unfeigned and profound venera- 
tion. 

Having heard the testimony of these witnesses 
whom we have selected from different countries and 
at different periods, the last of whom wrote out his 
affidavit, three quarters of a century before the Gos- 
pel was promulgated; will you stiil believe, that noth- 
ing had occurred of God, of piety and morals, from 
which the Gospel might have been compiled ? Or 
that, as in 2d Tim. 1, 10, Life and Immortality were 
brought to light, (or first promulgated) through the 
Gospel? If so, look into the second book of Macca- 
bees, at the seventh chapter, and read of spiritual 
faith and hope and pious continence; and blush at 
both your incredulity and our degenerate, heartless 
mimicry. And here we also find the earliest intima- 
tion of the body's resurrection; and having, thus acci- 
dentally, fallen upon this curious question of the soul's 
new tenement, which appears to be particularly de- 
serving of, at least, a passing remark, we are induced 
to make the following. 

No matter how intrinsically absurd the dogma is, 
since it constitutes an important item of the prevail- 
ing spiritualism of the Christian world. It thus ac- 
quires a nominal consequence, that entitles it to, 
either commendation or reproach. And although, 
like the subject, of which it seems an unapt ap- 
pendage, like a crutch to him who has neither leg, it 
is indeed the merest fiction: It has, nevertheless, a 
name and an existence, at least, in ideality, and has 
■thence a claim to general criticism. 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. t>0!J 

Having admitted the existence of such a doctrine, 
as the resurrection of the body, subsequently to it* 
natural, or organic> dissolution* our first inquiry 
should,' doubtless, be, after the time and manner of its 
origin. 

And here, again, hypothesis is indispensable, since 
no positive historical dates, nor declarations, are avail- 
able to our present purpose* 

The earliest evidence of the dogma of a resurrec- 
tion, among mankind, is doubtless found in the apocry^ 
phal book called Maccabees, whose date is assumed 
to be about a hundred and sixty -seven years , before 
the Christian era: And hence, must be, at least, so 
much older than the Gospel. But since we have no 
earlier intimation, that such a sentiment had become 
sectarian, as it seems it then was with the Essens, it 
is plausible, at the worst, to conclude it to have been, 
at that time, in its infancy, which is all we ask, or 
need, in our behalf. 

More than three hundred years before our era, Pla- 
to taught his spiritualism to the Greeks, who at that 
time exercised a literary censorship, throughout the 
world; and hence, his doctrines must have been, im- 
mediately, coextensive with the spread of science. 
In these, the world, in which Judea was included, was 
taught the dogmas of God, of Heaven, the soul, its 
immortality and certain destination to interminable 
weal or wo: But not a word about the body's resur- 
rection. And wherofore should Plato have been thus 
silent, upon a subject so momentous? Because he 
made the human soul with all the qualities or attri- 

26 



*ilO THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

butes essential to its immediate translation to another 
world, and to a participation, also, of its pleasures or 
its pains: And, hence; a body were, at best, but nuga- 
tory. 

But this literary Auteus had, meanwhile, reared a 
Hercules, to lift him from the ground of his enchant- 
ment, and break the chain with which he had so gross- 
ly and successfully fooled mankind. Yes, Aristotle, 
the greatest of Pinto's pupils, and of his race, con- 
- tested, so successfully, his master's fallacy, that the 
soul could move, without machinery, or feel, without 
corporality, as to make it necessary for the disciples 
of Platonism to invent the resurrection as an indis- 
pensable addition to their former creed. Nor is any 
thing more natural than this result. For, admitting 
what it was impossible that Platonists should doubt, 
that the human soul is inevitably immortal, and yet 
inadequate to the phenomena of its destination with- 
out the aid of physical machinery, it would be an im- 
providence, with which God should not be chargea- 
ble, that such machinery should not be provided. 
And hence, the body would be finally restored to its 
former occupant; and that the same, in order to evade 
the embarrassment of a new acquaintance. 

This depredation upon Plato's creed may have been 
made some forty years after its promulgation, that be- 
ing about the difference between the ages of these 
two eminent philosophers. Yet, that of Aristotle's 
must have been embarrassed by the other's popularity, 
and therefore slowly propagated. For this result 
however, we have a period of some one hundred and 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 211 

fifty-seven years, antecedently to the time at which 
this dogma is expressed in Maccabees. A time, no 
doubt, sufficient to effect the changes we have here as- 
sumed. And thence, we think the silliest fallacy, 
next to freedom of the will, originated, and the most 
preposterous, the world is yet to be ashamed of. 

The question of the soul's immortality having, thus 
far, stared us constantly in the face, it seems high 
time its impudence was reproved: And as the short- 
est method, we will make an effort to invalidate the 
dogma of its existence. 

Christianity requires that man shall be compounded 
of two distinct identities, the body and the soul, of 
distinct character and formation. To apprehend this 
subject, even superficially, we must form some, more 
or less particular, acquaintance with the origin and 
growth of organic man. 

Every individual, subsequently to the first, must, 
according to any admitted principles of physiology, 
have been thus developed. 

The primitive state of the animal, as an identity, is 
that of a minute vesicle, containing an unorganized, 
nearly transparent, liquid, without any other vitality 
than what is consistent with a secretion from the 
blood of its parent. But this is not the farthest we 
can trace its origin. We found it a secretion from 
the mother's blood, by means of organs which did 
not, themselves, exist, in the mother's infancy, and 
hence were also made of blood. This blood was 
manufactured from the mother's nourishment, and 
hence, both blood and vesicle were once but bread 
and cheese. 



£'fa THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

This vesicle, in which specific animal organism ori- 
ginates is entirely incompetent to commence the pro^ 
cess, without a new and vivifying impulse communi- 
cated to it by the other parent. Nor is this less true 
of vegetable, than animal development. From the 
reception of this impulse a new state of things is in- 
stituted. This vesicle acquires the character of an 
independent being, so far as the transmutation of un- 
organized, to organized, material is concerned; and, 
thenceforth, is a living, organized identity, progress- 
ively and successively developed, in its various con- 
stituents, until the perfect animal is completed, which, 
however, has not occurred at birth, nor does, until 
the age of puberty. 

We may, therefore, be allowed to ask, At what 
particular period of this being's life, does it acquire a 
soul? We think not, while unorganized. And if 
subsequently, there seems no one so eligible as that 
of puberty: For, if the soul includes the whole psy- 
chology, or mind of man, the inevitable and immedi- 
ate result of its infusion, must be a clear development, 
as we usually observe it„ 

The mind of man, whatever it may be,, most cer- 
tainly, resembles functionality. It bears a strict anal- 
ogy to muscular motivity^being apparently developed* 
in a direct ratio of that of material organism, from 
its commencement to maturity;; whence its progress 
is invertedj and it marches downward, with physical 
dissolution. 

Love of life, has been adopted as a most cogent 
evidence of immortality. Yet nothing can be more 
fallacious, notwithstanding its plausibility, with the 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 2 f 3 

superficial observer. Love of life is a propensity, 
like that of acquisitiveness, or parisirnony if you 
please, and subject to the same regulations; and, as 
are all the rest, indispensable to the constitution of 
the perfect animal. Without propensities, neither 
thought nor voluntary action could be possibly elicited. 

Nor is attention, so indispensable to successful 
thinking, more or less than an active, }>ersisting pre- 
dominance of some single propensity over the rest. 
Hence propensities are no less essential to humanity 
than reason and reflection. For, supposing man to 
have been unendowed with a propensity to live, or ta 
eat, or in other words without yitativexressyor alimen- 
tiveness, and thus, subjected to his present circum- 
stances. What a strange improvidence or inadaptness 
would be thus presented! A man compelled to live 
and eat, without a wish for either; and hence, a con- 
stant miracle required for these results ! Have you not 
often seen how widely different is the love of money 
amongst mankind? Nor is the love of life, at all, less 
different! While one individual would suffer himself 
to be daily skinned by the butcher, could a new one be 
recovered in the interval, rather than relinquish his 
hold on life, another holds this gift so valueless, as to 
yield it, voluntarily, at the merest threatenings of 
misfortune. And do you think, that these propensi- 
ties, even love of life, or reason either, survive the 
wreck of organism? Then trace their declination 
from manhood down to dotage; and thence, through 
imbecility, to absolute fatuity, and then evade our 
ewn conclusion, if you can! 

With rVw exceptions, an intellect most vigorous at 



514 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

50, will have sensibly declined at 80; and sunk to ut- 
ter childishness at 100. Thence reflection is extin- 
guished, and passion devoured by itself: and the last 
propensity smouldering in its ashes. The fire of ge- 
nius, that once outglowed cotemporary humanity, is 
smothered among the ruins of a demolished architect- 
ure. Nor does even memory throw one ray of light 
upon the mental void, by, even, dreaming of its for- 
mer self. The external senses no longer respond to 
their appropriate stimulants, nor preserve the connex- 
nexion between the phenomena of the world and the 
organ of conciousness We see both propensities and 
affections, one after another, demolished by the grim 
destroyer of present forms, and thrown back amongst 
the common stock, for future transmutation, until 
nothing remains of this human prodigy, but the mere 
mockery of vegetation; where the past is forgotten — 
the present unapprehended — and the future nncontem- 
plated — life itself unvalued, and conciousness of iden- 
tity extinguished. And what remains, except a breath- 
ing organized automaton? And where this love of 
life, that, so infallibly, attests the truth of heaven and 
immortality? Gone, like the function of a worn-out 
dislocated clock, to be revived in the tireless pro- 
gress of revolving, transmutive permutation. 

And here you will allow me to anticipate a question, 
that Ignorance has already proposed a thousand 
times, and doubtless will as many more, viz., Where- 
fore do diseased and even dying persons, not unfrc- 
quently, retain their intellects to the very gasp of dis- 
solution? Simply because the brain, in such instan- 
ces, is not the seat of disease, nor its function other 



THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 215 

wise impaired, than that its energy diminishes as it 
fails to receive its necessary support, from its diseased 
or dying associate. And thus we dispose of the So- 
cratic phantoms, denominated soul and spiritual im- 
mortality. 

Whilst a volume would scarcely be sufficient to ex- 
pose the discordances and fallacies of the New Test- 
ament, we are restricted to scarcely more than a sin- 
gle paragraph, and that the termination of our unin- 
structive, thankless course. 

First, of the genealogies of Christ, as recorded by 
Mat. and Luke. Here we have, for the same period, in 
the former, 41 genearations, (though Matthew declares 
them to be 42,) and in the latter 56, a difference of 
15. No small difficulty to be surmounted ! For if we 
allow but 41 generations, we have about 49 years for 
each, or an average of 17, more than are allowed, 
from Shem to Terah. And if 56 are allowed, we then 
have aq average length of nearly 36, still an excess of 
4 years, over the length of those more ancient ones. 

It has been, most foolishly, or impudently, said, that 
this apparent genealogical discrepancy, depends upon 
the misapprehension of the fact, that one belongs to 
Jesus and the other to Mary. Why should one have 
had fifteen more ancestors in its line, of equal length, 
than the other? And why should they both end in 
Joseph, unless he were the father of both, instead of 
neither? And here comes a mouthful for the ostritch 
stomach of Theology to digest. If Christ was be- 
gotten of the Holy Ghost, and not of Joseph, how 
could he have been related to David or Jesse, by the 
way of Joseph ? Again, did Herod murder hundreds of 



•216 THEOLOGICAL CRITICISMS. 

children in Bethlehem and all its coasts, nor history 
have blabbed of such demonian cruelty? Did Jesus 
find Andrew and Simon, as he was walking by the 
sea of Galilee, as in Matthew, Mark and Luke? Or 
before he went there, as in John? JDid Peter, firstly deny 
his master, to a maid, while sitting without in the 
palace; and again to another, in the porch; and also a 
third time before the cock crew, as in Matthew; and 
at the same time, as in John, make his first denial as 
he passed in with another disciple, and secondly, to 
the officers and servant of the court, not a maid, while 
standing and warming himself? And did Judas, as in 
Matthew, cast down the price of treason, and go and 
hang himself? And, at the same time, as in Aces, 
purchase a field with the reward of iniquity; and, 
falling headlong, burst asunder in the midst, and all 
his bowels gush out? When the two Marys visited 
Christ's sepulcher, was there and was there not, a 
great earthquake? Or, did none but Matthew deem 
the thing worth mentioning? Did they come, as in 
Mat., as it began to dawn, and at the same time, at the 
rising of the sun, as in Mark? And also, as in John 
while it was yet dark? Did Mary Magdalene, visit the 
sepulcher with the mother of James, and at the same 
time, alone? Or did she do both these, and at the same 
time have other company also? Did she find the sepul- 
cher closed, and at the same time unclosed? Did she see 
an angel descend, and remove the stone, and sit upon it; 
and, also, the stone to have been already removed, and 
nothing upon it? Did she seethe angel sitting upon the 
stone, without, and atthc same time, within? And did she 
see two angels, and.at the same time,butone? &e. &c — 



AN ADDRESS 



GENIUS OF POVERTY 



A POEM IN TWO CANTOS. 



BY AN EXPERIMENTAL! SI 



184S. 



CANTO I. 



And why shoulri'st thou be scouted, as an imp 

Of Satan, and condemned to infamy, 

As though thou vvert, not less, accessory 

To man's depravity, than to his grief? 

Thou hast been charged, of old time, as the blight- 

The mildew of man's brightest, earthly hopes, 

And spoiler of his noblest enterprise; 

The stifler of his out-side piety, 

(The siiie qua non of its growth within) 

Nor yet, wert named in Eden's catalogue 

Of condemnations and delinquenccs! 

Thy biography, were it written out, 

And with a Peacock's feather, would almost 

Match the Pilgrim's Progress; and, quite excel 

The twisticals, of Boz's Oliver, 

Which seem too heavy, to have been written, 

Entirely, with the plucking of a wing: 

And yet, it is no literary trash, 

Would find a place in Littell's Museum! 



No book produced by mortal intellect, 
Save Gulliver's, (for Moses was inspired) 
Is so corpulent, with the marvelous, 
And yet, those marvels true, as thine would be! 
And could'st thou realize the ample fund, 
In any currency, but Biddle's rags, 
And those, above the fraction of a dime, 
Or, even, half the copyright should fetch, i 
And would, if offered to the Harpers, first, 
Thou would'st, as suddenly, unknow thyself, 
xis did the Royal-little- Gentleman, 
When knighted, for deflouring Caroline;* 
Which is the punishment, John Bull inflicts, 
On knaves, for trespassing on foreigners! 

Dids't thou make thy first debut in Eden, 
With grandsire Adam, and our grand an? Eve. ? 
And other gentry, quite too amorous, 
To trust a youthful married woman with; 
And yet, escape, withal, the fearful curse, 
That fell on other luckless spirits, there; 
And, in the artless texture of a leaf, 
Become the small clothes of the needy pajrf 
Nor, wert thou, ere while thus incorporate. 
In those primeval, undegenerate times, 
Less honored, than thine after substitutes. 
Mentioned, only, as unmentionables ! 



*The boat, destroyed in the Schl.osser outrage. 



If these remarks are consonant with truth, 

Thou could'st not then have had the threatening scowl 

That makes folks, now, detest thee so: 

For, such a look would have monopolized, 

Exclusively, the stock of curses there; 

At least, if they had been dispensed by us: 

For we were, never, half, so much annoyed, 

By any other devil, us by thee ! 

And strange we deem it, that Omnipotence, 

Who did foresee thy filthiness and rags, 

Nor less forebear thy murmurmgs of fate. 

And reprehensions of a Providence, 

That fails to gratify thy selfishness, 

Did not doom thee, in mercy to mankind, 

To stop and curse the fiends of Tartarus! 

If thou wert promised, in thine infancy, 
A day of cloudless sunshine, it was vain: 
For, almost ere that luminary rose, 
The flame-lit clouds gave counter evidence, 
That a storm was rising, to o'er whelm thee! 

The pride of Wealth and its magnificence, 

Which oft-times, steals out human hearts and brains. 

Looked, scornfully, on thy humble bearing, 

And marked thee, as the prey of Opulence, 

Together with thy numerous progeny! 

And, in spite of Equity and Heaven, 

Thou and they and after generations, 

Were doomed to infamy and servitude., 

As an Inheritance, for evermore! 



6 

And by thy junior, thus in bondage held, 
By claim, pretended from Omnipotence, 
In vindication of accursed wrong; 
As though Benignity would have transmitted, 
From its throne, a license for oppression ! 
Shameless slander of a God of justice, 
Who hath, with nicest impartiality, 
Dispensed his mercies, equally, to all; 
Nor designed the rule should be perverted! 

Thy history declares, the time was once, 

When all thy caste was stigmatized as brutes, 

To feed on threats, and grieve in thankfulness, 

Or suffer scourging for ingratitude. 

Nor do we lack examples, nearer home, 

(We hope Judge Lynch wont hear the allusion) 

Of metamorphosing men to cattle; 

Though, not exactly, by the Power Bioine, 

By which hereditary Kings are made, 

But what is nearest in authority. 

That of the Federal-Constitution, 

Which owns the equal rights of all mankind, 

And therefore deems the African a beast! 

For else, his freedom is as well secured 

By this same Compact, paramount to law, 

As that of any yankee-mother's son, 

Whose sire, the war-torch lit, at Lexington !— 

Glorious Spirit of Seventy -six, 

Which did, the fetters, of the black-man, fix, 

Through countless generations of his race; 



JSfor heeded the anomalous disgrace. 

Of rearing its standard, in name of God, 

And striping its flag, with the negro's blood; 

Bestowing its freedom on all our kin, 

Whom nature wrapped not, in too dark a skin * 

Thus doth Columbia's Charter secure 

The mutual justice, of Simon Pure! 

Nor is dominion counter to the plans 

Of brawling, nominal republicans! — 

With whom, liberty is another name 

For downright, political recklessness 

Of all the rules a wise Consistency 

Has established, for its preservation — 

A liberty, that bold Licentiousness 

Might feed upon, to gouty corpulence — « 

That fain, would make Philosophy and Art 

Shake hands with Ignorance and Quackery ; 

And call this breach of Nature's institutes — 

This impracticable absurdity, 

Sublime, political equality— 

A liberty that spurns a guardian, 

Though it were a Deity incarnate ! 

Nor will it yield the insane privilege, 

Of being cheated, and imposed upon 

By any false pretender, who shall choose 

To expend his wit in that direction ! 

As those ancient chronicles inform us, 
Whose veracity must not be doubted, 
Thou wert, firstly manacled, where the Nile 
Made corn abundant, yet where vassals starved: 



s 



Where slavesjby thousands, wrought for one mad lord. 

And other millions, for an insane king; 

Where princely vanity could gorge itself, 

With lumbrous, architect'ral monuments. 

Obelisks, Pyramids and Labyrinth, 

For Glory, Sepulture and Sacrilege; 

Nor grieve at such a reckless sacrifice, 

Of human flesh and sinews, as should draw 

Tears, from an eyeless, marble monument! 

That thou wert, next, enslaved in Palestine, 

By those anno in ted Hebrew Partialists, 

That claimed, by contract of the Deity, 

The entire beneficence of Heaven : 

Nor, like innumerous, modern Christians* 

Would they admit a soul to Paradise, 

But through the slough, of their formalities! — 

Thenceforth, the world, (for such were Greece and 

Rome,) 
Assumed the right to scourge thee at its will : 
And tho' that world has met sad changes since. 
It has not changed its hate of thee. 
Except in few and rare particulars ! 

Thou art, tho' men have known thee long too well; 

A thing anomalous — inscrutable, 

And which no single definition fits! 

Chameleon like, thou art as changeful 

As conscience, fashion and opinion are! 

For that which bears thine epithet, to-day, 



Might, yesterday, have been called competence, 
And to-morrow, with equal justice, wealth. 

Like one, who holds left-handed sentiments, 

Of Religion, Politics or Morals, 

Or like a debtor irresponsible, 

Thou art unwilling to expose thy state 

Of feeling, or of funds! — 

Kind hearted thing! 
To be so careful of our sympathies, 
As though we had a wish, to waste on thee, 
But that thou had'st been drowned with Egypt's Host, 
Nor lived, to snarl at Providence so long, 
For ills, thy sordidness hath merited ! 

Thou art as friendless as ophthalmia, 

Or Parsimony, Toothache, or the Gout, 

And as heartily contemned as Treason! — 

And so thou should'st! for rank duplicity, 

The vilest trait, in Satan's character, 

And e'en in some, who own him not as master, 

Has marked thy wanderings, six thousand years; 

And yet thou would'st, like most of us, be thought 

Possessed of virtues, which were never thine; 

And charge on others, want of complaisance, 

While thou dost not, one whit, respect thyself! 

Thou art the cringing sycophant of Wealth, 
Whom, meanwhile, thou pretendest to despise! 
Nor can'st yet sustain e'en Honor's shadow, 
Without a golden crutch, to lean upon! 
Nor is such lameness rare, among mankind ! 



10 



To imitate Wealths worst delinquencies. 
And play the tyrant, well, with Beggary, 
Seems the apex of thy mean aspirings. 
Such baseness fits thee, for a paltry slave, 
And shapes thy pliant limbs, for manacles! 
The ape and mocking-bird excel thee, more. 
In principle than art! For they do not, 
Select, for imitation, but the worst, 
Of all the practical examples, 
Of prank and voice, bat fain attempt the whole? 

Thou art the pander of Licentiousness, 

The supple catspaw of thine enemy, 

To scratch out nuts, from where 'twould burn its own ! 

Not much unlike, some talking animals, 

Who, being served, (ungrateful fratricides) 

Then serve themselves, by sacrificing those, 

Who have been catering for their baseness? 

Yet thou, with all these stains upon thy hands * 

Art no less sensitive, when honor 's touched, 

Than though, memory had^ to thee, turned traitor. 

And left thee unacquainted with thyself! 

Or wert a Congress man, or Col. Webb, 

To murder folks in injured manhood's cause^ 

While the transaction proves themselves are beasts! 

And, were detraction whispered in thine ear, 

Thy carcase would, like a percussion cap, 

Explode, and let thy mammoth spirit out, 

To plant a Cypress, on a mad-man's grave !, 



11 



So much like human nature is thine own, 

Thou wilt worship all of earth, that glistens, 

Or bears the stamp of Mammon, on its back ! 

And he, who hath what thou hast sought, in vain. 

Hath thy reproaches, and thine envy too! 

Meanwhile, thou art vociferously mad 

With human folly, for its love of gold, 

Which, thou sayest, is so idolatrous, 

That Elysium would be rejected, 

Unless it were a mint, for coining cash, 

And, also, Immortality refused, 

(Were it a thing provisional,) 

If unemployed in counting o'er the trash ! 

Our answer, to thy charge, must be concise! 
We wish it were, both, false and slanderous! 

Thou sayest, and thy saying is too true, 
(Though, in thy fits of frenzy, for the stuff, 
Which Fate determined should elude thy grasp,) 
That gold perverts the Law, and smothers Truth- 
That Justice cannot hold her scales, so tight, 
That dust will not disturb its equipoise! 
And, loi thy sense of right is so acute, 
(And sharper, much, for its apprenticeship,) 
That thy philanthropy calls, loud and long, 
To have the order of the thing reversed; 
And then, the balance, to thy jaundiced eye. 
Would be, most admirably, adjusted! 

Thou sayest, also, that the tyrant Wealth 
Assumes, too much dictation, and controls, 



n 



Disastrously, the fashion of the world, 

Which, blindly, runs a jack-a-lantern race, 

After the shadow of fictitious worth! 

So it does; and so thou would'st, if thou could'st! 

Or professions have much, higher merit, 

In thy case, than they evep had in ours: 

For men, who would be Neroes, if in power, 

Are most obsequious, in manacles; 

And he, who would live free, or cease to live, 

Would be — No! he would not be a master! 

Among thy numerous complaints of Wealth, 

Thou sayest it claims honor, not its due, 

In rearing all those mighty piles of art, 

Whether designed, for worship, or for show. 

Whose ruins, yet, attest magnificence, 

At which the traveler gaps, staringly, 

And wonders, at the human enterprise, 

Which could have planned and executed works, 

Apparently so impracticable! 

Nor apprehends, that these were monuments, 

Which superstitious Tyranny hath reared, 

In ostentatious show of piety, 

Or to inflate the pride of Opulence, 

And at a waste of human happiness, 

Which recklessness, itself, should deprecate! 

In fine, whatever Intellect hath planned. 

Or Labor hath, successfully, accomplished. 

Beyond the value of a moccason, 

Is claimed, exclusively, as Mammon's work; 

And yet, from quarrying, to stuccoing, 



13 



Not a hod of brick nor mortar shouldered, 

Nor a hammer nor a trowel wielded, 

Except, by muscles of my luckless tribe! 

For Beggary is not available 

To the basest projects of a tyrant, 

From lack of all, but begging enterprise! — 

It is, in truth, too mean to be a slave ! 

Be it so! Nor would we contradict it! 

V r et, what claim hast thou, thou madcap braggart, 

To the half a thimble full of merit, 

For all the vaunted labor, thou hast done? 

Thou would'st have been no less contemptible 

And indolent, than those who whittle chips, 

And muse upon the unhallowed means, 

Which cunning Indolence hath sometimes found 

Successful, in replenishing thy ranks, 

And most unluckily, from out the midst 

Of those whom God hath owned his noblest work. 

Had not dire necessity compelled thee ! 

For stubborn Nature is not changed with dress! — 

Knaves are the same with epaulette or brand ! 

Where, then exists thy claim to moral worth, 

For doing what thy virtue ne'er enjoined? 

We'll tell thee, would'st thou know, and doubtless true ! 

Where the religious hyprocrite will find, 

The blissful plaudit of the Deity; 

And that, as Murphy said, of land he owned, 

Is not, in fath sir, either here or there ! 

The chains that gall thee, thine own right hand forged, 
And thy servility hath riveted •— 



14 



Ask not redress for wrongs, thy baseness sought, 

And which, thy tameness hath solicited, 

As though a slave were written on thy brow! 

The faults, thou chargest Wealth and Heaven with, 

Proceed, alone, from thy delinquency! — 

Have not thy virtues been apocryphal, 

And thy professions slandered by thy deeds? 

When hath thy servile spirit ventured forth, 

In name of Truth, of Heaven and Equity, 

And Nature's holy Impartiality, 

In gallant contest, for equality? 

When hast thou owned the claims of Intellect, 

(Immortal spark, from God inherited, 

Consciousness, memory, and contemplation 

Of principles and joys ineffable, 

And for which, only, Paradise was made) 

Above the groveling propensities, 

Whose base indulgence stigmatises man 

As brother of the beast that perishes, 

And seems the limit of his enterprise? — 

Never! nor ever will, while thou dost kneel, 

In humble supplication of the molten god, 

Whose greatest benefaction is a curse! — 

Thy motto is, as it hath always been, 
A curse on wealth's unjust supremacy ! 
And yet, thou hast, immemorially. 
Yielded it thine envy and submission! 
Nor hast thou ever dreamed, that happiness 
Can be attained, through any other means! 



15 



And yet. Wealth is a scorpion, to sting 

The hand that, covetously, would grasp it! 

And had'st thou read the gospels, thou would'st know 

That ragged usefulness, in Heav'n's account, 

Is worthier than ermined uselessness ! — 

And that humble virtue, wrapt in sackcloth. 

Is still a Goddess, brighter in her tears, 

And happier than wealth or flattery, 

Or stars or crowns can make Licentiousness I 

And so hath God, in equity, decreed ! 

There is a way which he who runs may read*, 

For thee and thine, to be unmanacled. 

As sure as mandate of the Deity ! 

Nor is it, otherwise than, wonderful, 

That thou should'st not have sought it earlier, 

And broke the chain, by which wealth rules the world \ 

Thou should'st discard the idol, Opulence, 

And worship at the Goddess Reason's shrine ! 

Her response will teach thee, clear as sunlight, 

How thy manacles may be dissevered; 

And thine unpitied subjugation, 

To the Tyrant, Wealth, forever ended! 



CANTO H. 



Would'st thou break the chain, that binds thee closer, 

To Wealth's contemptible idolatry. 

Than is the native, Pagan Indian bound 

To the accursed Car of Juggernaut? 

Discard, forthwith, that slander of the truth, 

Which says, that wealth produces happiness; 

A plant congenial, but to virtue's soil, 

And reared by vigilant cultivation; 

Nor still perpetuate thy name and woes, 

By wearing Mammon's tinsel livery, 

Which cheats thee, of thy cash and credit, too, 

And fits thee, for a beggar or a thief! 

Descend not to the basest mimicry, 

Of Folly's first and worst delinquency, 

A gaudy, superficial frippery; 

But, frankly, own thy name and character, 

And miss the stigma of duplicity, 

Which seems, too deeply, graven on the heart 

Of man, to be, by reason, burnished out, 

Or extinguished by regeneration ! 



17 



We've said, thou should'st invoke the Pythoness 

Of Wisdom's Temple, (who is Reason's self, 

Improved by patient, useful discipline, 

Amongst earth's real apprehensibles) 

To teach thee, how thou shalt release thyself, 

At once, from a disgraceful servitude; 

And furthermore, how wrongly, thou hast judged 

Of Wealth's exclusive aptitude for bliss! 

The rule, thou hast adopted for thy guide, 
In adding up and balancing accounts, 
Between thyself and Mammon's favorite, 
Was not proposed by Solomon nor Paul; 
But smacks of Parsimony's rule of three, 
Which proves, as clearly as the a, b, c, 
That good for you is better, still, for me! 
And thus, thou hast augmented, wrongfully, 
Wealth's real happiness above thine own. 

Thy mouth is, doubtless, full of verbal proofs, 
In form of oathful asservation, 
That, of the warp and woof which wealth enjoys., 
Thou would'st weave an interminable web 
Of most exquisite, earthly happiness — 
A Cashmere suit, for every brat of thine! 
And so, fell Parsimony promises 
To its inimitable self, at least; 
And hence it starves, to hoard the magic stuff, 
In which, like almost all mankind, ic thinks 
The very soul of happiness resides! 
And, as a most judicious episode, 
It steals thy very rags, to clothe itself! 

*3 



13 



Success, on such a plan, can scarcely fail, 

Oftener than would a vigorous attempt, 

To lift one's self, by tugging, lustily, 

At boot-straps, or waistband of one's breeches! 

Nor is Ostentation more successful 
Than Parsimony, in the bliss it seeks! 
And though, apparently, less groveling — 
Less soiled by loam, than by licentiousness, 
There's not a vice so reprehensible, 
With the exception of Intemperance, 
Whose omnipotence is proverbial, 
In transmuting manhood to beastliness, 
As we think this same ostentation is! 
Nor has it 'mongst the foes of righteousness, 
Or of mutual, social happiness, 
A single, other, fair competitor! 

Each follows out the promptings of its own 

Indomitable, base propensity, 

And would monopolize the world itself, 

Were not its pow'r unequal to its ends! 

The one, in order to maintain a state 

Of base, contemptible magnificence. 

For the exquisiie glorification, 

Of being gaped at by the idiot! 

The other, in its fearful providence, 

Would miss the thousand curses, heaped on thee, 

And, therefore, lives the very mimic 

Of the character, it so much detests! 

So near together are the two extremes! 

What would'st thou profit, therefore, by exchange 



19 



Of state and character, with those we've named?- 

E'en Beggary, itself, would be insane, 

To swop its very worst estate with either! 

Each is engaged in vigilant pursuit 

Of exclusive, individual bliss, 

Which both, remotely miss, and equally: 

For Happiness is perched on Reason's shield, 

Whose standard is erected just midway, 

Between these antipodes of wretchedness, 

The furbished, and the furfuraceous: 

And, surely, thou dost offer evidence, 

Amidst thy lengthened catalogue of faults, 

As indubitable as truth itself, 

That thou art much less mischievous than they: 

And yet, thy virtue, like the most of ours. 

Is both negative and apocryphal: 

For, that thy guilt is less than theirs is not 

From want of inclination, but of power; 

Therefore, until thy principles are changed, 

Thy miseries, with thy means, would multiply: — 

Success would stultify thine intellect, 

And indolence destroy thine enterprise; — 

So that thou might, successfully, contest, 

With human things, the prize of infamy ! 

Awake ! and take a peep at destiny. 
As fate hath settled it with human kind, 
And as God, in Scripture, hath revealed it! 
There, thou may'st measure with exactitude, 
The length and breadth of both thy weal and wo; 
Nor Heaven, nor Fate, hath meditated ill 
To thee; but, to thy moral turpitude! 



20 



Thy name, in Christendom, was coupled once. 

With saintly and prophetic piety; 

And thought to be almost synonymous. 

With unsophisticated holiness! — 

And who, from choice, became thy devotee, 

Was honored as a saint, and deified ! 

And so he might be now, with little risk 

Of multiplying- acts of sacrilege;— 

For no one knows thee, and detests thee not, 

Unless his fast-receding sinciput 

Proclaims his irresponsibility: 

Nor was it, anciently, a small mistake, 

That thine was thought the name of righteousness ! 

For thou hast not, from thy birth, been better, 

Nor more deserving of respect, than now: 

Nor was the claim of Lazarus to Heaven, 

Improved by his companionship with thee,— 

But that he bowed not, in idolatry, 

To a. golden calf, which, interpreted, 

Means adoration of a wealthy Fool! 

This sacrilege has been, amongst mankind 

So nearly universal, hitherto, 

That an exception has been ever deemed 

A most remarkable phenomenon ! 

And while thou shalt continue to succumb 

To any less authority than God's, 

Or Reason's (its admitted substitute, 

In all emergencies apocryphal: 

For understanding cometh from the Lord, 

Or Solomon, for once, mistook the truth) 



n 



Thine unbroken manacles will hold thee, 
To a servitude, not unmerited ! 

Nor hath Idleness escaped thine envy, 

Whene'r Inheritance enabled it 

To riot boldly in licentiousness: 

And when reduced to starving nudity, 

(The doom Heav'n stamped on its delinquency,) 

Thou hast o'erlooked its culpability, 

And wasted thy reproaches on its rags ! 

This truth is clear, whatever blockheads think: 

Were not thy ranks repaired by Indolence, 

They would dwindle to the merest shadow, 

And thine would be recruits of competence ! 

Thou hast deemed labor ignominious, 
As though it were exclusively for slaves; 
And that true-freedom's definition is, 
Release, from the restraints of usefulness. — 
In this thou dost resemble some of us, 
Who deem it, clearly, a primeval curse, 
That man must be familiar with the soil, 
And barter, for his bread, his daily toil; 
And rather than appear so ungenteel, 
Will practice ev'ry fraud, and sometimes steal : 
As though the Deity had branded labor 
With his most emphatic malediction, 
And the soiling fingers, as a stigma, 
Too foul for soap and water to remove! 
These are the dogmas of Theocracy, 
Inherited by aristocracy. 
But, thanks to God and the Revolution; 



22 



To Liberty and our Constitution; 

This twin inheritance, with worldly wealth, 

Too often gained as basely, as by stealth, 

Will slip, together, through the grandson's hands, 

Or Heav'n has recently revised its plans! 

Hebrew Theocracy assumed the right, 

To despoil the heretic Canaanite, 

Enslave his infants, gorge upon his blood, 

In name of Justice, Piety and God. 

'Tis aristocracy's calculation, 

To succeed as well by legislation. 

The one with bigoted temerity, 

Would crucify the Christ for heresy: 

The other sooner, than resign its place, 

Would, doubtless, crucify the human race! 

What Theocracy achieved by bravery, 

Aristocracy hath wrought by knavery. 

One has met deserved retribution, 

In the course of civil revolution: 

The other's fate, we think we know as well, 

And yet, would wait for ballotings to tell, 

Which, doubtless, are as unequivocal. 

We, surely, have been wandering from our text, 

And must have known it, had we not been vexed. 

But since we've fully cancelled thy demands, 

We'll pass thee over into better hands ! 

Hark ye, then, to Reason's admonition. 

Corroborated by the word of God, 

And plainly registered, in Holy-Writ. 

And thus we heard — or dreamed that Reason spoke. 



23 



5C Desist from Mammon's service, and henceforth, 

Appreciate money, at its real worth. 

And dost thou ask its value — I reply, 

That of the real happiness 'twill buy. 

Render obedience to God and me, 

Which constitutes genuine liberty. 

Not the factitious, the licentious know, 

Which works their own inevitable wo; 

But one of holiness, without alloy, — 

The freedom which the sons of God enjoy. 

Thus shall every votary of mine, 

Bask in the rays of liberty divine. 

"Had'st thou but known and heeded Agur's prayer, 

Of Bible specimens, the finest there, 

Which shames vain man's loquacious levity, 

As much in spirit as in brevity, 

Thou would'st have deprecated Mammon's gifts, 

No less than thou hast done thy luckless shifts. 

iC The prophet prays, as warmly, as for health, 
To be preserved from Poverty and Wealth. 
What can be gathered from a prayer like this. 
But that the two are equal foes to bliss? — 
And what induction can be plainer seen, 
Than that the proper place is one between? 
Nor can'st thou, in this instance, fail to see, 
That holy Agur and myself agree. 

" Heav'n cannot, pecuniarily, dispense 
A blessing so exact as competence ! 
He, therefore, who solicits less or more, 
Invokes a curse, possession must deplore ; 



24 



'Tis, therefore, Competence I will protest, 
Alone, can make an earthly spirit blest:— ' 
And though attainable by common sense, 
'Tis oft extinguished by improvidence! 

(C Saint Peter knew, that competence is good, 
And who that needs, might have it if he would : 
Or he would not, the pious spouse compel 
To it, or rank beneath the infidel: 
Who supplies not, his house, halhhoth denied 
His faith, in Christ, and duty, to his bride* 
The cost of one his penitence may pay; — 
The other, doubtless, will provoke a fray. 

" 'Tis therefore clear, that industry can find 
Enough for comfort, if she's so inclined; 
And with Frugality, to tend the purse, 
Escape, thine own* hereditary curse. 
Nor would a prudent votary of mine 
Rely on either, but the two combine; 
Nor venture on the opposite extreme, 
Since Parsimony's curse is not a dream. 

" Invoke Temperance for absolution, 

From thy deepest and un holiest stain; 

And the Deity for resolution, 

That, henceforth, thou shalt not relapse again !- 

For, of thy sources of replenishment, 

Intemperance contributes two of three, 

And yet affords as great a compliment, 

Or greater, to the ranks of beggary. 

Let Virtue, Morals and Integrity, 

With Undejiled Religion, all agree, 



25 

To form thy character^ which, though rare 
Jlmong mankind) is not at all too fair I 

Another source of thy peculiar wo, 
Is an unconquerable love of show; 
Thine outside gilt, thou carest not a fly, 
Thine inside, being filthy as a sty! 

" Thou hast fed Fashion with thy humble gains* 
And been despised and laugh 'd at for thy pains: 
For Opulence, if mean, will not confess 
A fit companion, in thine apishness. 
In folly's service, thou can'st never be 
An equal match for Aristocracy : 
Therefore desist from acting as its tool, 
Nor curse thyself, by mimicking a fool ! 

" The biped, www, perchance, may take the whim. 
That this courtesy is designed, for him: 
But with that favorite of Providence, 
Who esteems my best suggestions nonsense, 
My admonitions have been withheld long since: 
And though thou art more tractable than he, 
My patience hath been sorely tried by thee! 

" 5 Tis strange, that thou should 'st still remain so dull. 

With my incessant rapping at thy skull; 

Nor, can it be disputed that thy pate, 

Unless His human, is but second-rate !— 

For, one would think that such repeated polts. 

Would have awakened anything but dolts! 



26 



" Thou dost complain, that thou hast wrought for 

wealth ! 
What else would have as well preserved thy health? 
For he can never labor for himself, 
Whose life's consumed, in worshipping bis pelf;. 
And yet, wealth's time, employed to count its store. 
Might he much better spent in earning more ! 
And Competence requires but little time. 
To calculate its income to a dime ! 

" Thy sweat hath also irrigated soil, 
Not thine! — It cooled and fitted thee for toil'. 
Thou sayest Wealth can feast on a ragout, 
While thou must make a plainer diet do! — 
And, hence, thy nether limbs can -stub about,, 
W r hiie Luxury's are crippled with the gout: 
Nor can it sleep on feathers, half so sound.. 
As honest industry upon the ground! 
Neither hath Wealth effectual defense, 
But by eternal, anxious vigilance: 
For it hath wings, which it doth sometimes use, 
Leaving its votary, dangling from a noose!" 

" With these suggestions, of the woes of Wealth, 
Thou, yet, would'st risk them, tho' it were by stealth: 
For thou dost think, with human, silly things, 
That thou could'st soar to Heav'n with golden wings! 
But, if '£is true, what Christ and prophets tell. 
Such wings soar not, but gravitate to hell: 
Nor can they counteract attraction thence. 
Unless they're light'ned by Benevolence: 



27 



Yet, men will risk a journey to that clinic, 
Rather than spare the fifth part of a dime! 

"Although Jehovah to the point hath spoken, 
Thou art, like man, distrustful of the token: 
\nd, as tho' thine were only human sense, 
No test will answer but experience; 
Nor yet will that, unless it is thine own — 
By that of others, little can be known! 

Thus would those human egotists declare, 

Whose folly is a proverb, everywhere, 

(Unless, mayhap, the lunar folks should be 

Inclined to approbate their lunacy,) 

To whom, I've constant preached, six thousand years, 

And vainly, as though asses had no ears'! 

" Among this race, improvement is all fudge; 
As trudged the father, so the son doth trudge; 
And when exception offers to the rule, 
Its subject is admonished as a fool! 

" I'll now leave thee, to thy contemplation 
Of my proposals for reformation ! — 
Heed my precepts — remember Agur's prayer:— 
Thou shalt be free, as spirits of the air!" 

Montpelier, 1839. 



FASHIONS SOLILOQUY, 



While indulging a recent exacerbation of literary 
antiquarianism, among the curiosities of my great- 
great-grand-father's Scrap-Book; I casually fell upon 
the subjoined burlesque of the fashionable monoma- 
nia, of Louis 14th of France: And for which, as indi- 
cated by an autographic mariginal-note, we are in- 
debted to the pen of Pere de Lachaise, the worthy 
Confessor of that royal friend, and zealous patron, of 
the delirious ostentation, and senseless etiquette, with 
which Europe was bedizened, for near a century; and 
which remains, at least, with the reflecting moralist, 
a proverbial stigma upon the Parisian, to the present 
day; And however inapplicable to the good people of 
Vermont, in the year of our Lord 1839; it may, not- 
withstanding, claim, of the curious, to be preserved 
as a literary relic of the seventeenth century. 

The following may be received, as, very nearly, a 
literal translation of the Scrap-Book copy, which is 
humbly submitted to those who will condescend to 
read it, 

ANTIQUARIAN, 



29 



11 Reason, that sour misanthrope, yet persists, 

In her senseless contest, for dominion, 

O'er those unfeathered geese, or tailless apes, 

Denominated, by themselves, mankind; 

As though her monastic melancholy, 

That maddens at the thought of earthly bliss, 

And calls man's pleasure all concupiscence — 

That would feed his enterprise, with shadows, 

And pay his weariness, with hope-deferred, 

Could vie, with my felicitous employ, 

That pays the laborer with connate joy ! 

As well may tasteless Fountain-water hope, 

To supercede delicious Alcohol, 

Among the children of the Temperate ! 

" Her vanity is inexhaustible; 

Or she would have, long since, deemed it hopeless. 

To force her whims on Sensuality, 

The true synonym of Humanity; 

At least, with those, who bow at Mammon's shrine. 

And think, that Wealth makes Man a Demigod: 

And these are all the true Nobility, 

Among my countless, biped worshippers — 

True Pioneers, to that Ostentation, 

To which the Mimicry of Man aspires ! 

Thanks, to the premature development 
Of those exquisite, apt Propensities, 
Which are able to descry, so soon 
And clearly, my superiority 
O'er Reason, as the Monitor of Man, 



30 



Whose unrestrained indulgence constitutes, 
With singular exceptions, now and then, 
The most exquisite, noble enterprise, 
Of this improvement of the Baboon-Race! 

i£ Dame Nature could never have intended 
Man, to be the Proselyte of Reason; 
For else, his Appetites would have been wrought 
Less dissonant with her cold suggestions, 
Which, like an Iceberg to the Mariner, 
Freeze up the current of fictitious enterprise, 
That claims, exclusively, his vigilance! 

" Humanity consists of sympathies, 

So very amiably domestic, 

That they commence, and terminate, 

Within the circle of judicious Selfishness — 

Nor, will it, soon, be so improvident 

To swop the smallest Pleasure, of to-day, 

For the mere Image of the richest Bliss, 

That Reason paints upon To-morrow's Map; 

So incredulous of her promises, 

Which he has, most judiciously, esteemed, 

Too spiritless, and fatuous, to test, 

Is that two-legged thing, she calls her Pet: 

" Man's proverbial Magnanimity, 
Like the Philanthropy, he practices, 
Forms a Halo, but dimly luminous, 
Beyond the circle of his private views — 
Within, it shines, with treble brilliancy, 



SI 



Its focus resting- where his soul should be r 
Disclosing, 'mongst his lesser attributes, 
A Pavonine,* noble Ostentation, 
That contemns Reason, as a Lunatic, 
And promises eternal vassalage, 
To affable Licentiousness and me ! 

''That Reason, with her long experience 
Of Man's suspicion of her sanity, 
Should still persist, in importuning him.. 
Against the protest of his Appetites, 
Which are, proverbially obstinate, 
To leave those easy avenues to Bliss, 
That stark-blind Sensuality can thread, 
Unerringly, as with old Argus' eyes, 
Ere Juno lent them to the Peacock's tail; 
Where they, appropriately, represent 
The Moral Vision of my votaries, 
Seems to prove her really insane ! 

" In spite of her sepulchral threatenings, 

And yet, without an effort of mine own, 

I have entirely, superseded her, 

In the best affections of human-kind. — 

Meanwhile, by turns, she mopes, in sullen grief, 

Presently, tornado-like, she blusters, 

Nor foams, less madly, than a Cataract, 

At Man's supreme submissiveness to me I 



* Peacock-like. 



n 



45 But, let her rail, exhort and importune. 
Until hoarseness shall have made her voiceless, 
And disappointment, grief and weariness, 
Shall have shrunk her Shrewskip to a Mummy, 
My friends will heed her just about as well, 
As modern children do their guardians! 
Dear little gentlefolk! how smart they are; 
Dame Reason may assail them, if she dare! 
And, if she dont get trained;, 1 will admit, 
That she may humanize the Monkeys yet!" 

, Bearing date 1636; and signed Fouetteur 1'Hommes, 
or Whipper of Mankind. 



Deacidified .sing the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnes.umOx.de 

Treatment Date: Feb. 2005 



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DEC 20 1901 



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